Wildflowers V: Side Show
by XenaLives
Summary: Final (?) installment of the Paily AU Wildflowers series. What mischief is afoot when the circus comes to town? Can Paige and Emily get to the bottom of the trouble before disaster strikes? Rated M for language, sex, drinking and mild violence.
1. Chapter 1

**Thank you for all the end of story reviews for Dark Days. I'm just going to blast you with another one (the last?) to get it off my plate so I can focus on something new. As promised...something a little lighter, funnier, sexier than the others. A good way to finish up, I think.**

* * *

"It's time!"

The sound of Toby's excited and breathless bellow boomed up the stairs and Emily sat up with a start, dislodging Paige's body from atop hers where she lay draped across her, sleeping deeply. Paige grunted in surprise and confusion as she nearly fell off the side of the bed with the motion.

Emily blinked rapidly, her heart racing at the announcement. She swatted at Paige who hadn't seemed to have heard and resettled herself to go back to sleep. It was still very dark and hours from dawn. "Paige!" She said, her voice gravelly with sleep. "Wake up!"

"What?" Paige mumbled into her pillow.

Emily lurched out of bed and began to scrounge for her clothes. "Maggie's ready to foal." She said as she dragged her blouse over her head and pulled on her skirt, backwards.

"What?" Paige sat up, blearily.

"Come on!" Emily barked at her as she was already heading for the stairs.

Paige sat, stunned, for a moment before jumping out of bed and searching for her clothes. She pulled on her pants, half buttoning the fly and and forced her arms through the sleeves of her shirt, realizing as she struggled to button it that is was inside out. She managed to get two of the buttons fastened in reverse and gave up on the rest before following Emily down the stairs and out the front door barefoot.

Despite the warming weather of late June the ground was still cool at this hour and she wished she had taken the time to put her boots on. The lanterns were blazing in the barn and she could clearly hear Hank's anxious whinnies and Maggie's grunts of labor.

Maggie was laying down on her side, rocking back and forth, grunting and growling with effort. Emily knelt in the straw at her head and lay a calming hand on her neck, more anxious, it seemed, than Maggie herself.

Toby was at her belly, feeling along her side to see how far along the delivery was and Holden crouched behind her, holding her tail out of the way, waiting for the first sign of the foal's front legs

Paige stared, wide eyed, at the scene. "Where do you want me?" She asked nervously.

Holden frowned at what he saw as Maggied lurched and rocked with a grunt of effort. "Back here. Now." He said. "One of the legs is turned back."

Emily looked toward him, panicky. "Can you correct it?" She understood the dangers of birthing a foal out of position.

Paige moved around to Holden's side and knelt down in the straw to see what he was looking at. Her eyes went wide and mouth dropped open. She had seen mares foal before but never up close and it was somewhat alarming to the untrained eye. She could see the white, partially translucent sac beginning to poke from the mare with a little nose and one hoof right next to it.

"I'm going to push the head and leg back in a bit." Holden said as he rolled up his sleeves. "I need you to reach in and feel for the leg that's turned back and pull it forward in line with the other so both legs are on either side of its head."

Paige stared at him in horror. "What?!"

Holden placed his hand on the protruding nose and pushed, gently but firmly and it disappeared back in Maggie. "Now, Paige!" He ordered.

Paige swallowed heavily and rolled up her sleeves. She inserted her hand to the wrist into the mare's birth canal. It was damp and hot and she scrunched up her eyes tight as her arm slid to the elbow and she felt around the membranous sack. Her fingers touched the small hoof, tucked under the little foal. "Oh, my, God!" Paige shouted. "I can feel it!"

"Good." Holden said as he held the nose in still. "Ease the leg forward. You might need to use two hands."

Paige began to wrestle with the foal in utero while the mother grunted and rocked with the need to expel it from her. She couldn't quite manage to move its leg forward and shifted nearer, sliding her other arm in. She felt sweat break out across her head and neck as she felt, blindly along the little animal to get it into proper birthing position. "I think I got it!" She exclaimed.

The little hooves came forward in line with the head just as Maggie gave a tremendous push and the sac burst gushing hot amber fluid all over Paige's arms and chest, splashing onto her face. Paige jerked back in shock. "Holy shit!"

The newborn animal slid out into the straw and lay still, it's little body rising and falling rapidly as it took its first breaths.

"Oh, my, God!" Emily breathed in wonder. "Is it okay?" She asked worriedly.

Holden peeled the remaining sac from the foal and smiled. "You have a beautiful little filly." He beamed at her.

Toby smiled and stood. "Congratulations!" He said and extended a hand to Emily.

Emily laughed breathlessly and patted Maggie's neck, leaning down to give her a hug. "You did it. Girl." She breathed into her neck before letting Toby help her to her feet.

She looked to Paige who knelt, arms held out from her body, dripping with birth fluid and looking stricken, eyes as big as saucers. Emily bit down on her lip to keep from laughing. "Paige?" She asked unable to hide the smile from her voice. "Are you alright?"

Paige stared for another beat before her eyes snapped to Emily and she cleared her throat. "What?" She struggled to her feet. "Of course, why wouldn't I be?" She said crisply trying to regain her composure.

"We should leave them." Holden said and held the door to the stall. "They'll need some time to recover and nurse and won't thank us for an audience." He looked from to Emily to Paige, his mouth quirking into a smile and he cleared his throat. "You should go get cleaned up."

Paige glowered at him wondering if he had done that on purpose. The fluid had cooled and plastered her shirt to her skin, she could feel her hair stuck damply to her neck. She pulled her shirt away from her chest with her fingertips and grimaced at the wet sucking sound.

Toby turned away and covered a laugh with a cough but Holden grinned openly and Emily's eyes danced with amusement at Paige's condition.

Paige's eyes flicked between them and she snorted her displeasure before stalking out of the barn in a huff. She heard the three of them laugh loudly in her wake.

Emily caught up with her halfway to the house and grabbed her by the arm. "Oh, no you don't!" She said laughingly and guided her to the water pump. "Out here first."

Paige stood next to the pump in the dark and looked at her forlornly. "Emily." She whined. "Can't I just-"

"Strip." Emily commanded. "I'll put some warm water on the stove and bring you a blanket." She tried not to enjoy Paige's hilarious grumpiness too much.

Paige pouted and grumbled but did as Emily commanded unbuttoning her shirt and peeling out of her damp pants. She began to rinse herself with the icy well water and by the time Emily came back with blanket she was downright miserable and chilled.

"Happy now?" Paige sulked as Emily wrapped the thick wool blanket around her shoulders and led her back to the house.

"I'll make it up to you, I promise." Emily answered with a smile.

* * *

Emily watched Paige over the rim of her coffee cup as she stood near the wood stove toweling her now clean but damp hair dressed only in an over large shirt buttoned carelessly in the middle which hung to mid thigh.

Emily's eyes never left her and was beginning to think Paige knew she was being watched as she turned, shifting her legs, to let the shirt fall open deliciously teasing at the pale skin of her chest and the top of her thighs.

Emily chewed her lip and felt a tingling heat between her legs at the sight of her lover's lean, muscular body as she moved around the kitchen, seemingly oblivious to the thoughts and desires coursing through her.

Paige moved across the kitchen to the cabinet and reached for a cup of her own, the shirt she wore pulling up in the back as she stretched, knowing Emily had been watching her and right now getting an eyeful of her bare backside. Paige continued to pretend she didn't know what was going on as she poured herself a cup of coffee and stood against the counter at the opposite end of the kitchen. She shook out her hair, hoping it lay across her shoulders sexily, and hid her smile behind her cup as she nearly burned under the heat of Emily's gaze.

"That was really something, huh?" Paige said casually but didn't meet Emily's eyes.

"Mmm hmm." Emily answered distractedly. She was energized from the raw, amazing, beauty of what they had just been a part of and her heart thudded wildly in her chest, her skin sizzling with need. Paige had to know. It was almost palpable between them.

Paige knew. She could feel the tension ripple between them and wondered how long Emily was going to wait and what she was going to do. Paige sipped her coffee quietly, watching Emily through her lashes as desire radiated off her her in waves.

Paige looked past Emily's shoulder through the window at the pre dawn darkness. " I've had enough excitement for one morning." She yawned. "I think I'm going to grab a couple more hours of sleep." She kept her face still but her eyes sparkled with mischief as she watched Emily's eyes narrow at her.

Paige turned to face the counter, placing her cup down and took in slow breath and exhaled as she felt the air ripple behind her as Emily crossed the room, silently, wrapping arm around her waist and up across her chest from behind.

"Are you sure?" Emily breathed, hungrily in her ear as she pressed her hips into Paige from behind. She didn't wait for an answer and slipped her hands beneath Paige's shirt, kneading her breasts with intent.

Paige dropped her head back as Emily kissed and nipped along her neck and behind her ear. "Something on your mind, Em?" She teased.

Emily hands roamed, voraciously, across Paige's breasts and belly kneading hard and raking her fingers along the taut muscles of her stomach, feeling them bunch and jump at her touch. She felt daring and hot with need for Paige and wanted to feel her writhe beneath her touch.

Paige gave a throaty moan as Emily's hand slid up her neck, wrapping around her throat and pulling her head back her mouth moving, teeth bared, along her neck and shoulder. Paige shifted to turn around and face her but Emily, feeling the motion stopped her with hands firmly on her hips, pressing her forward against the counter.

Paige gasped at Emily's uncharacteristic dominance as she felt her hand move to the middle of her back, between her shoulder blades, pressing her forward over the counter. Heat pooled within her as Emily leaned her hips into her and nudged her legs apart with her feet.

"Yes." Emily growled as she raked her fingernails up the back of Paige's thigh. "There's something on my mind."

Paige shuddered at the sensation and moaned her approval at Emily's intent. Paige spread her arms across the counter to brace herself and rocked her hips back into her, feeling the wetness of her desire flood her center in anticipation..

Emily gripped the back of her shirt in her fist and kept pressure against her back, keeping Paige still and off balance, as she teased up the backs of her legs, across her behind and the small of her back. Paige squirmed against the tantalizing assault, her breath coming fast and hard.

"Emily…" Paige gasped as her fingers trailed along the insides of her thighs time and again with no apparent intention of satisfying her. "...what are...you doing?" She managed around another gasp.

Emily pushed her down farther forcing Paige's hips back even more. "Just playing." She taunted casually as she raked her fingertips through Paige's slick center, groaning at the heat of Paige's readiness.

"Oh, God, Em…" Paige moaned, leaning her forehead against the counter, her muscles turning to jelly as Emily stroked and toyed with her.

Emily's own need filled her, flushing her skin, heating her blood and dampening her legs. Paige bucked her hips, desperate to create more friction against her hand every time she passed her fingers through Paige's center.

Paige jerked, eyes wide and mouth dropping open, as Emily slid into her smoothly from behind before dropping her head onto the counter with a guttural moan as she clenched around Emily's hand. Her legs trembled, fire radiating through her core as Emily stroked her, fingers curling along inside, filling her.

Emily slid her left hand from Paige's back, wrapping her arm around her waist, holding her tightly and supporting her as she quickened her pace, pressing her hips into Paige as she thrust in and out of her in unrelenting rhythm.

"Jesus, Emily…" Paige swore. "Don't stop…" She panted as she felt her climax build within her.

Emily moaned her own pleasure at Paige's ecstasy and drove her hard to the edge of release. Emily gripped her waist hard as she felt Paige shudder with the beginnings of her climax. Paige cried out and gritted her teeth as torrents of sensation roared through her and Emily coaxed her orgasm higher, her hips bucking wildly before her legs crumpled beneath her.

Emily lowered Paige to the kitchen floor, easing out of her on the way down, as she completely collapsed, her eyes hooded in bliss. Emily gathered Paige to her and held her close as Paige trembled with delicious aftershocks.

Paige leaned against Emily, her head resting against her chest, as her breathing and heart rate slowly returned to normal. "That was...unexpected." She sighed.

"Hmmm." Emily agreed, reaching to tilt Paige's face up to her. She bent and sought her lips with her own brushing her lips across hers. "I love surprising you."

Paige smiled. "I love surprises."


	2. Chapter 2

Paige rolled over as the sun streamed in the window telling her it was well past dawn. They had relocated to the bedroom from the kitchen where Paige was able to surprise Emily, in return, for another hour before they both drifted to sleep in a tangle of naked limbs and bedclothes.

Paige reached for Emily but was met with only an empty bed and cool pillow. She cracked an eye and frowned her disappointment at her absence but she had a pretty good idea where she had gone and why.

Paige stopped at the kitchen on her way out, helping herself to the fresh pot of coffee on the stove. She took her mug with her sipping on her way out to the barn. The foal was still too new to go out into the pasture so mother and baby were getting to know one another in the comfort of the stable.

Holden and Toby had cleaned the stall and laid fresh straw. Emily leaned against the stall door and watched them, a look of wonder on her face. Paige joined her, their hips touching, her face breaking out into a huge grin at the sight of Maggie with the little filly. The foal was almost all black but for a smattering of bright white spots on her rump apparently taking after Hank in coloring more so than Maggie.

"Beautiful, isn't she?" Emily said unable to take her eyes off the foal as she wobbled around the stall on her new gangly legs, her mother shadowing her closely.

"Yes." Paige turned to Emily. She was freshly scrubbed and radiant with tousled hair and laughing eyes. "She is."

Emily smiled and blushed under Paige's admiring gaze. "I meant the-"

"I know what you meant." Paige smiled and slipped an arm around her waist, pulling her in for a kiss.

"So." Toby said as he came in through the back door. "Have you thought at all about what you're going to call her?" He asked cheerfully as he dropped a couple of flakes of hay in Maggie's feed bin.

Paige raised her eyebrows and looked to Emily who looked serious all of the sudden.

"I have." Emily answered and eyed Paige from the side. "If Paige agrees I thought we would call her Raven." Paige had never been able to wear her pendant again after what had happened and Emily knew what a loss that was for her. It was a symbol of so much of who she was and how far she had come. She never spoke of it but Emily saw her, occasionally, reaching for her throat to touch the stone and never finding it. She probably didn't even realize she was doing it.

Paige jerked in surprise and sucked in a breath at Emily's suggestion her mouth working as if to speak but not finding the words.

Emily watched her wrestle with her emotions as they flickered across her face. Paige's expression finally settled into one of wistfulness as she gazed at the little foal. "Paige?" Emily asked. "What do you think?"

"I, ah…" Paige swallowed, her throat tight with emotion. "...I love it." She whispered, finally.

Toby beamed. "Raven, it is." He agreed.

Emily slipped a hand around Paige's waist as she stood staring, bright eyed, at the little creature.

"Thank you." Paige breathed.

Emily leaned into her and laid her head against her shoulder. "For what?" She asked softly.

Paige was quiet for a long moment. "For loving me so well." She answered.

Emily smiled. "You make it so easy."

Paige laughed and turned in Emily's arm, draping her arms across her shoulders and pulling her in for a kiss. "No, I don't." Paige smiled into her mouth.

"Okay." Emily returned her kiss and her smile. "You make it the best, most exciting, terrifying, exhausting, satisfying, thrilling hard work I've ever had the pleasure of taking on." Emily pulled away far enough to meet her eyes. "Is that better?"

"Much." Paige said and stopped Emily's next words with her lips.

Their kiss deepened and Paige's hands slipped down to the small of Emily's back pulling her close against her and reveling in the way their bodies fit together so perfectly. Just when Paige thought she was going to have to throw Emily down in the straw Hank let out a loud snort and kicked at his stall door.

Paige pulled away from Emily and glared at him for interrupting their moment. Hank's eyes rolled at her and he reared and shook his head with a piercing whinny.

"Uh oh." Emily laughed. "I think someone's jealous." She said.

"Yeah, well, he can mind his own damn business." Paige said and moved back to pick up where they left off before they were so rudely interrupted.

Emily stopped her with a hand on her chest, her eyes shining. "Let's go for a ride." She suggested excitedly.

Paige pulled Emily close again and kissed along her neck. "Don't give in to him." She mumbled into Emily's hair as she kissed behind her ear.

"Come on" Emily stepped away and held Paige off, definitively. "It's a beautiful day. It's going to be hot, I think. Let's ride out to the creek. I'll pack us something to eat"

Paige pretended to pout but it didn't reach her eyes. She had visions of getting Emily naked in the lush grasses along the creek with the sound of the water burbling behind them and the smell of freshly blooming flowers in the air. "I suppose." She kicked at the straw on the ground.

Emily laughed at her. "I'll get some things together and you saddle Hank."

* * *

They took their time on the ride out, the sun rising high in the afternoon sky, Emily's arms wrapped around Paige's waist, laughing into her hair as Paige, trying her hardest to be impressive, misidentified all the wildflowers blooming along the trail.

"Maybe Spencer can give you some lessons in the local plant life?" Emily said lightly.

Paige snorted. "I think not." She said and pulled Hank to a stop as the trail curved and met up the with creek. "Let's walk from here." Paige suggested and reached her arm behind to help Emily dismount.

Emily slipped to the ground taking in the new growth lit by the sunlight streaming in through the tree canopy. Birds were singing, bees were buzzing across the flowers and the splash of fish jumping for bugs could be heard even over the race of the full creek.

Paige dropped to the ground and slipped Hank's bridle off letting him pick his own way along behind them, grazing as he went. They followed the creek until it widened and stilled at a deep pool banked by a grassy hill, a large rock jutting out into the water.

Emily untied a couple of blankets from Hank's saddle and laid one out in the grass in the sun, setting up lunch for them as Paige walked out to the end of the rock, crouching down to trail her fingers through the surface of the water.

"It's warm!" Paige called back to Emily excitedly.

"Maybe on the surface." Emily answered not looking at her as she set out food and pulled the cork on a bottle of Madeira.

Paige considered the pool for a moment. It was clear and inviting with the sunshine sparkling off the surface. "I'm going in." She announced and started to unbutton her shirt.

Emily turned at this. "Ah, Paige." She offered. "I'm not sure that's a good idea."

"Why not?" Paige asked as she kicked off her boots and shimmied out of her pants and underclothes.

Emily watched, eyes flashing with amusement as Paige stood naked on the rock, the sunlight streaming off her pale skin. "Because it's cold." She said simply.

"I think I can handle it." Paige turned and grinned at her. "Anyway, where's your sense of adventure?"

Before Emily could suggest she rethink her plan Paige launched herself off the rock, tucking her knees around her chest and hugging them tightly to her. Emily's eyes went wide with a grimace, as Paige plunged into the middle of the pool and disappeared knowing this wasn't going to end well for her.

Emily shielded her eyes from the sun and waited a beat. Paige rocketed to her feet, water streaming off her in waves, lifting her arms up around her head with a strangled shout. "Sweet Jesus!" She gasped, panting to catch her breath.

Emily gave her a cringing smile. "I told you." She said and sat, steepling her hands in front of lips to hide her merriment.

Paige glared at her and struggled to hide her discomfort. "What?" She lowered herself and willed her body to relax in the frigid pool. "It's...n-n-nice." She stammered and made an effort to paddle around unwilling to concede defeat.

Emily laughed. "Paige, get out of there before you make yourself sick."

"Nope." She answered through gritted teeth as she floated on her back for a moment, her muscles aching with cold and her teeth starting to chatter.

Emily smiled and shook her head. It was a terrible idea from the beginning but she had to admit she loved the sight of Paige went and naked. If Paige insisted on staying in to prove a point Emily would sit back and enjoy the view. She nibbled on some bread and cheese and poured herself a glass of wine.

It was only another minute before Paige clambered out of the water and up onto the rock. She made a heroic effort not to hug her arms across her chest to warm herself as she gathered up her clothes. She saw Emily eyeing her, trying not to laugh and dropped her clothes at the edge of the blanket. "That was refreshing!" She forced a smile.

"I can see that." Emily stared pointedly at Paige's breasts, her nipples hardened sharply from the cold.

Paige followed Emily's gaze, crossing her arms across her chest in mock modesty and feigning shock. "Well, I never!" She gasped.

Emily stood and shook out the other blanket, closing the distance between them and draping it across Paige's shoulders and pulling the ends across her chest.

Paige gripped the ends to her tightly. "Thank you." She shivered with a laugh. "That water is bloody freezing."

They had lunch on the bank of she stream, talking, laughing and dreaming as the clouds floated by overhead. Paige had slipped back into her sleeveless undershirt, the fabric clinging to her damply, and pulled on her pants but left them unfastened at the waist.

Emily couldn't help her eyes wandering over Paige's body, her muscles long and lean, her abdomen flat and tight. She tore her eyes away and watched Paige's face as she lay on her back, eyes closed, with her arms tucked behind her head. Her face was smooth and unmarked, free of the worry and pain so frequently etched there since their first meeting.

"You know." Emily began softly. "It's been almost a year since we first met."

"Hmmm." Paige replied drowsily.

"Not far from here, actually." Emily added and lay down on her side next to Paige, propping her head up with her hand. "Did you ever think you'd be in one place for so long?"

Paige's eyebrows raised in thought at the question but she didn't open her eyes. "Not really." She mumbled.

Emily frowned, slightly. "Do you miss it?" She asked.

"What?" Paige asked.

"Traveling?" Emily clarified. "Being free? Never tied down?" She asked, not really sure she wanted to hear the answer.

Paige cracked an eye at her and could see the frown on Emily's face. Somehow the conversation had turned serious when she wasn't looking. "I haven't really thought about it." Paige said and closed her eye again not wanting to give anything away. "Which is odd now that I think about it because my life with you has been nothing but mind numbing boredom." She felt her lips threaten to smile.

Emily frowned hard at her before Paige's eyes popped open and her face broke out into a blinding smile. Paige turned to her side, mirroring Emily's position, and brushed a loose lock of hair behind her ear with her free hand. "Emily." She said, laughter in her eyes. "The only reason I traveled so far and so fast was that I never felt I belonged anywhere. Never felt understood and never felt safe"

Emily's face relaxed. "And now?"

Paige leaned in and brushed her lips softly against hers. "And now I have you and our friends and our life together." Paige's lips twitched with the beginning of a laugh.

"What?" Emily asked suspiciously.

"I would love to be tied down by you." Paige grinned.

"Maybe later." Emily said with a laugh, her eyes flashing with desire. "Right now you need your hands." She pulled Paige to her and crushed her mouth against hers in a bruising kiss. "Or, rather, I need you hands." She amended and rolled on top of her, straddling Paige.

Paige settled Emily across her hips and reached to unbutton her blouse, her hands brushing across Emily's breasts through the thin fabric. Her blouse fell open and Paige slipped her hands beneath, tracing slow patterns across the swell of her full breasts, down between them and and around her nipples, hardening them under her touch.

Emily's head dropped back as Paige's hands tickled across her skin, teasing her, her body responding with a twitch of her hips and tightening of her belly. With her eyes closed she didn't anticipate what was coming and squealed in surprise when Paige shifted up, flipping her over onto her back.

Emily gasped as Paige straddled her and pinned her arms above her head. Paige's eyes danced merrily and Emily's darkened in arousal as Paige rained down kisses and nips along her throat and shoulders.

Emily groaned as Paige released her hands so she could move lower, sucking a nipple into her mouth and rolling it around with her tongue before squeezing it between her teeth until Emily cried out in pleasure.

Emily's breath came fast and another moan ripped from her throat as Paige's hands and mouth were everywhere at once teasing, kneading and stroking her to new heights.

Except that they were on a blanket instead of fresh new grass Paige's earlier fantasy came to life in full color as she attacked Emily with reckless abandon, yanking off her skirt without ceremony, tossing it out of the way and kissing her way down her belly and thighs. Emily trembled and tensed beneath her as Paige spread her legs wide and dove into her center like a woman starving, parting her with her tongue and sucking her into her mouth.

Emily's hips rocked and her hands covered her mouth to stifle a scream as sensation overwhelmed her, Paige's mouth on her sending her into uncontrollable spasms of pleasure as her orgasm built from deep within her, rolling and deepening with every flick of Page's tongue.

"Oh, God, Paige…." Emily gasped, her head rolling back and forth, as Paige shifted to enter her with her fingers as well, her mouth never losing contact with her as she alternated thrusts with her hand and tongue.

Paige's head swam with arousal and, possibly, oxygen deprivation, Emily bucking wildly beneath her in throes of ecstasy as Paige drove her to the brink of release. Emily's climax tore through her like wildfire, snapping and crackling across her nerve endings, and she cried out Paige's name as wave after wave of pleasure roared through her with Paige's unrelenting attention.

Emily wanted to come down, to breathe, to rest but Paige showed no sign of stopping and she already felt the familiar and delicious, swirling burn low in her belly as her body, against her wishes, responded again. "I can't…it's too much..." She gasped weakly as her hips twitched in response to the continued stimulation.

Paige either couldn't hear her or chose to ignore her as she continued to work Emily over with tireless energy. Emily tried to turn it off but her body betrayed her and another orgasm grew, unstoppable with sharp, shooting heat through her core.

Emily groaned, deep and guttural, her mind fogging as Paige fell into a smooth rhythm holding her at the edge of release a second time. She felt Emily's walls contract around her hand tightly with need and smiled into her. Her jaw ached and her shoulders burned with strain but was so aroused herself she couldn't stop.

"...please…" Emily gasped and Paige, finally, relented quickening her pace and sending Emily past the tipping point. Emily shook violently, her whole body spasming with the power of her orgasm, her mouth dropping open in a silent scream.

Paige kept her hand moving within her but raised her head to watch as Emily practically convulsed with pleasure, her eyes glazed and breath shallow. Her body stilled after a moment and Paige slid out of her, her fingers pruned with dampness.

Paige moved to lay alongside her, rolling her shoulders to ease the cramping, and threw an arm, carelessly across Emily's chest. "See?" She smiled at Emily's satisfied and exhausted expression. "Mind numbing boredom."

Emily lay, immobile, her muscles spasming of their own accord, and stared, unseeing, at the sky. She couldn't even manage a smile at Paige's teasing. Liquid heat filled her and radiated out to her fingertips. She licked her lips and tried to speak but succeeded only in a soft moan.

"I know." Paige laughed softly. "You'll get me back, I'm sure."

* * *

**Happy you're all still into this AU. Thank you!**


	3. Chapter 3

"Oooof!" Paige grunted as all the air whooshed out of her lungs and she doubled over as someone slammed into her coming around the corner to the Rosewood. She staggered back a step, a hand on her knee to catch her breath and squinted up at her assailant.

Lucas Gottesman was picking himself up off the ground, collecting a handful for papers that had scattered at the collision. "Gosh, Paige, I'm really sorry." He said as he straightened. "Are you alright?"

"Fine, Lucas." Paige wheezed and stood with a grimace. "I'm fine."

"Okay, good." Lucas said distractedly. "I've got to get going." He started to move off but turned back to her. "Hey, are you by any chance heading to the saloon?"

"Yes." Paige was meeting everyone there for supper and she was anxious to get there. She felt like she hadn't seen Emily in days. After their afternoon at the creek that, admittedly, rolled into night they had been far too busy with the ranch to even have a proper conversation.

The calves needed to be branded and fence repaired. Fence always needed to be repaired. A recent storm had loosened some shingles on the roof of the barn but, by far, the worst was a few cases of bloat in the herd necessitating a round up and force feeding the cattle turpentine oil to cure and prevent. If she saw Emily at all the last few days it was only to kiss her goodnight before dropping, exhausted into bed. "Why do you ask?"

Lucas thrust a paper at her. "Will you ask Caleb to hang this up for me?"

Paige took it, hesitantly. "Why don't you ask him?"

"Because he likes you." Came the reply. "And if I asked him he'd probably just wipe his a-, er, wipe the floor with it." Lucas trotted off, most likely to distribute more of his papers.

Paige turned the paper over and was visually assaulted by what was on the page. Lions, Elephants, acrobats, strongmen, train cars, bearded ladies and wolfmen all stared back at her from under a enormous striped tent. She read the header on the flyer. _P.T. Barnum's Grand Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan and Circus_ was coming to Cheyenne by train.

"Huh." She said to herself, folding it into her pocket, and continued on to the saloon.

* * *

"Back off, Lyle!" Caleb snapped at the man pressing himself up against Emily.

Emily, straightened and whirled, shoving him hard in the chest, her face twisted in anger and disgust. "Get your hands off me!" She snarled.

The man grinned, showing missing front teeth and raised his hands in innocence as he backed away and turned to head back to his table.

Emily watched him until he sat down, brushing her hand across her hip, disgustedly, where he had touched her. His friends leered and laughed, slapping him on the back, when he returned. "I swear to God, Caleb." Emily raged as she turned back to the bar. "The next foul smelling, toothless, louse ridden, cretin who touches me is going to be sorry!"

Caleb nodded his head in sympathy from behind the bar. "Why don't you just go sit down?" He gestured to their usual table when the six of them got together. "The others will be here any minute."

Emily was furious. "I shouldn't have to." She argued. "There's no reason a woman shouldn't be able to stand at the bar alone without every drunken idiot thinking it's open season to put his hands all over her!"

"You're absolutely right." He agreed and moved down the bar to wait on some other patrons. "Just don't get any blood on the floor." He said with a laugh knowing, coming from Emily, that was not an idle threat.

"I'm serious, Caleb!" She called down to him. "They're going to wish they never even laid eyes on me...let alone hands." She muttered to herself.

* * *

Paige stopped in the doorway of the saloon, letting her eyes adjust to the dim light and spied Emily leaning against the bar talking animatedly with Caleb. She was starving and looking forward to supper but, also, looking forward to getting Emily home to bed. She hadn't seen her all day, Emily having left first thing to come into town to get supplies and negotiate some stock sales with some of the other local ranchers.

Paige moved across the bar floor quietly, grinning from ear to ear, thinking to surprise her as she reached to wrap her hands around Emily's waist.

Caleb looked up from the bar in time to see Paige creep up behind Emily, hands extended to grab her and his eyes flicked to Emily, her face thunderous, still, with fury. "Wait!" He yelled but it was too late.

Emily felt hands go around her waist and reacted instantly. She stiffened, her left hand curling into a fist, and spun, throwing her elbow back hard and fast into the face of the unsuspecting groper.

Paige's smile vanished with a grunt as Emily's elbow connected, solidly across the bridge of her nose sending white hot streaks of pain through her skull. Blood poured from her face and her eyes blurred and teared instantly, blinding her, as she staggered back and dropped to the floor, her hands covering her face.

She groaned in pain as blood filled her mouth, streaming through her fingers down her face and chest and onto the floor. "Shit, Emily!" She gurgled as she rocked back and forth, her head feeling like it had just been cleaved in two. "What the hell!"

Emily's eyes went wide and her hands flew to her mouth. "Oh, Paige…." She breathed.

Hanna, Spencer and Toby had entered just in time to see the whole chain of events. Spencer dropped to Paige's side as Emily seemed rooted to the spot in horror.

"Here." Caleb called from behind the bar and tossed Spencer a clean rag.

Spencer caught it with one hand and pried Paige's hands away from her face, replacing them with the folded towel and pressing against her face.

Paige groaned again at the pressure. "Jesus, that hurts!" She complained, sounding nasally, forced to breathe through her mouth.

"Yup." Spencer agreed as Toby moved to her other side and helped her to her feet. "Come on."

Emily followed closely, twisting her hands and apologizing the entire way, as they settled Paige in a chair at their table. Hanna went to the bar for drinks. Many drinks. Paige was going to need it. "Oh, Paige...I'm so sorry…" Emily stammered. "...I thought...I thought you were someone else…"

"I hope so." Paige ground out. "Because if that's your idea of foreplay…" She trailed off as speaking increased the throbbing in her face.

The bleeding had slowed enough for Spencer to pull the cloth away a get a look at Paige's face. Her nose was swelling and both her eyes darkening with an early, ugly bruise. Spencer winced. "We're going to need some ice." She announced.

"The hotel will have some." Toby said. "I'll be back in a minute.

"How bad is it?" Paige asked, breathing through her mouth.

Spencer clucked her tongue. "Broken." She answered and turned to Emily. "Nice one, Em. That'll teach her to touch you inappropriately." She said wryly.

Emily groaned. "Oh, Paige, I'm sorry." She said again. "Will it be...I mean...is her nose going to be…" Emily didn't know how to ask her next question.

"Don't worry." Spencer laughed. "It's a clean break. She'll be as hideous as always after it heals."

Hanna returned with a tray of whiskey and set it on the table. Spencer slid one over to Paige. "Drink." She said.

Paige didn't have to be told twice. Her face was throbbing.

Spencer gave her another glass. "Again." She commanded.

Paige shook her head. "I'm good." She declined.

"You won't be in a minute." Spencer disagreed. "Drink it."

Paige frowned and choked back the second glass with a cough and a groan as pain flared again.

Toby returned and slid a cloth wrapped brick of ice onto the table. Spencer nodded in appreciation and turned her attention to Paige. She placed her thumbs on either side of Paige's nose, her hands curling around her her face, and prodded the swelling.

Paige stiffened and gasped. "What are you doing?"

"I need to set it." Spencer said in concentration.

Paige twisted and fidgeted against her hands. "I think I may need another drink." She pleaded.

"Hold still." Spencer snapped.

Paige tensed and held her breath but was unprepared for the blinding pain and audible crack as Spencer forced the bones back into place with her thumb and a flick of her wrist. She shrieked and doubled over, her head swimming, as blood flowed anew.

"Breathe." Spencer patted her on the back and pressed the cloth of ice into her hands. "You'll be fine, McCullers."

"I think, maybe, you enjoyed that a little, Spence." Hanna offered, laughter in her eyes and handed her a glass of whiskey.

Spencer tossed it back and gave Hanna a wink. "Don't tell anyone."

They finally all settled down at the table, Emily glancing worriedly at Paige every few seconds while Paige sat, miserably, wiping at the blood still trickling down her face, a brick of ice pressed between her eyes to ease the swelling while the conversation jabbered on around them.

Hanna, at least, made sure Paige's glass was never empty and Paige, with the help of several whiskeys, was starting to feel a little better.

"There's something up outside of town near the tracks." Toby mentioned.

Caleb nodded around a mouthful of food. "I saw that." He swallowed. "They're clearing brush and grading the land. Must be some new construction project."

Paige's eyebrows raised, remembering her conversation with Lucas. She pulled the folded flyer from her breast pocket and tossed it on the table. "Fad...Lady..." She slurred. She'd had way too much to drink.

Spencer frowned at her. "What?"

Hanna opened the paper and looked at the flyer, her eyes going wide with excitement. "Oh, my, God!" She squealed.

Spencer snatched the paper from her and looked at it. "Oh, Christ." She groaned. "That's just what we need." She passed the page to Toby.

Toby handed it to Caleb then to Emily. Their reactions to the circus coming to town were mixed. Spencer was already mentally preparing stocking the clinic with supplies and expecting many and varied, hopefully, minor injuries. Training accidents, drunken fights, feet crushed by elephants.

Caleb was mentally preparing stocking the bar. It would be crazy with patrons while the circus was in town. He should get some of the ice from the hotel and work on some of the new fruity summer drinks he had been dreaming up.

Hanna was mentally trying on dresses, deciding what to wear and wondering if the circus was something ladies wanted to dress up for. Maybe she could get some of her new summer line out and on display in time before the circus came to town. She glanced over at the flyer again.

They only had a week to get ready. The circus would come by train, stop right outside of town, and be here for 3 days. One for set up, one to perform, and one for takedown before they moved off for Greeley.

* * *

Paige stared at herself in Emily's mirror again. She usually paid no mind to her appearance most of the time. Her broken nose, though, had temporarily deformed her face. She made an effort to come up with a reason to stay behind whenever someone was heading to town, always managing to find some project at the ranch that needed her attention.

A week later and the swelling had disappeared but the bruising around her eyes had gone from black to blue to, now, spectacular shades of purple, green and yellow. It looked like she was wearing a mask or face paint.

"What's taking you so long?" Emily called up from the base of the stairs impatiently.

"Be right down." Paige answered. She sighed and returned the mirror to the dressing table. She wished she could hide out for a few more days but the train rolled in tonight and Emily wanted to watch them unload. They would, apparently, do much of their setup at night to keep their secrets and mysteries secret and mysterious.

Paige wouldn't admit it to anyone else but she was excited, too. She just wished she didn't look like she could be an attraction.

"Paige!" Emily barked again.

"Coming!" She sighed again. "Let's get this over with." She mumbled to herself."

They rode into town on Hank, Emily still letting Maggie spend all her time with Raven. The little filly was a delight to watch frolic and explore the her pasture and they spent a lot of time at the fence laughing at the newborns antics.

Soon, though, Maggie would need her own exercise but, until them, Emily was content to ride behind Paige, her arms wrapped around her waist.

"Thank you for coming with me tonight." Emily offered. "I know you didn't want to."

"No, it's fine." Paige replied. "I do want to, it's just…" She trailed off and pulled her hat down low over her eyes.

Emily knew what she was thinking and bit her lip. She still felt badly about what happened. More than Paige even knew. Emily would never have admitted to her how happy she was that Paige had gone over six full months without putting herself in danger and getting hurt and then she had to go and break her nose. She felt like such and idiot and she knew Paige was self conscious about it. Emily bit her tongue to keep from apologizing again. She knew it would only draw attention to it.

They walked Hank through town at dusk and watched the steady streams of people as they all meandered in the same direction. Everyone showing varying levels of excitement about the circus.

"Hold up!" A voice boomed from behind them as Marshal Fields trotted up alongside and slowed to match their pace.

"Hi, Dad." Emily greeted her father with a wave.

"Hi, Baby." He replied.

"Paige, I was hoping to run into…" He trailed off as he peered at her. "What the hell happened to you?" He asked as a got a good look at her.

Paige sighed. "I broke my nose." She answered simply.

"I'll say." The Marshal grinned and glanced at his daughter. "Did she deserve it?" He joked with a wink unaware that Emily was the one responsible.

"Dad!" Emily hissed and shook her head sharply.

The Marshal frowned and shrugged but bit back his next joke. "Anyway, Paige, I need to speak with the ringmaster or whatever he's called when these folk get here. Make sure there will be adequate security, find out what they need, get an idea what to expect. I was hoping you would come along and translate for me."

Paige and Emily shared similar expression of confusion. "What language do they speak?" Emily asked.

"No, no." The Marshal cleared his throat. "Not like that. I just mean I'm not real familiar at all with the circus folk and I just thought what with all the traveling Paige had done she might be better positioned to communicate with these people."

Paige jerked Hank to a stop and stared at the Marshal. "I'm sorry?" She shook her head in disbelief. "You think because I've traveled a lot that somehow means I speak Carney?"

Emily laughed. "Is that even a thing?"

The Marshal frowned at his daughter and shifted in his saddle. "Listen" He tried again. "I'm an old fashioned man and I'm not sure I'm going to do well with the…" He waved his hand in the air. "...these entertainment types."

Emily laughed harder. "Dad, are you nervous?"

Her father scowled. "Nevermind." He grumbled. "Forget I said anything."

"No." Emily said and straightened her expression. "No, it's alright. We'll come with you." She nudged. "Right?"

"I don't understand." Paige mumbled. "Does he think I was with the circus? Like an act? Or a sideshow?"

"Paige, right?" Emily swatted her on the shoulder to get her attention.

"What?" Paige jerked around. "Oh, yeah, sure." She said absently. "Whatever."


	4. Chapter 4

The area marked out for the circus was easily an acre. The land had been cleared and a crude perimeter had been erected of rough wooden posts and chicken wire fence all around presumably to keep people from just flooding in from all sides. There would be an entrance fee and someone needed to man a booth at a single point to see it was paid.

The fence was open along the side that bordered the tracks as that was where the cars would stop for the three days and all the loading and unloading would take place. There was already a pretty good sized crowd milling around outside the fence and a number of hitching posts were available for the horses. Privies were built just inside the fence.

The Deputies Campbell and Ackard were already there working their way through the throngs making sure no one got out of hand. The Marshal went off to join them. The interest and excitement was palpable.

"Isn't this exciting!" Hanna squealed as she rushed Emily before they barely had their feet on the ground. "I've always wanted to see an elephant and those trick ponies…." She trailed off. "Oooo, Paige, look at your face!"

Paige tensed. "Look at your face!" She shot back childishly.

Emily wrapped her hands around Paige's arm to get her to relax as Caleb came up and slung his arm around Hanna's neck. "She looks fine, Han." He said and gave her a shake.

"Oh, yes, of course!" Hanna amended. "You can hardly notice."

Spencer and Toby joined them and Spencer stared at Paige and cocked her head before reaching out to touch Paige's nose.

Paige smacked her hand away. "Back off, Hastings!" Paige snapped.

"Take it easy, McCullers." Spencer said with a quirk of her mouth and eyed Emily. "I'm not the one who broke it. I just want to make sure it's healing properly."

Paige curled her lip in annoyance but let Spencer feel along the bridge of her nose. "Does that hurt?" Spencer asked as she pinched down.

Paige jerked back. "Ow! Jesus, what do you think?" Paige snapped. "It's only been a goddamn week."

Spencer's expression was carefully controlled but her eyes flashed with amusement which Emily didn't fail to notice. She gripped Paige's arm and pulled her away before her mood darkened further. "Come on." She suggested. "Let's go catch up with my father."

"It's coming!" Someone shouted and a roar of excitement went up in the crowd as all the onlookers moved to line the tracks. The Marshal and the deputies worked to keep people from getting too close and having their first casualty be someone getting run over by the train.

As the sun finally set they could just make out the blackness of the train against the horizon and feel the first vibrations of the train as it rumbled into Cheyenne.

There were a dozen flatbed train cars carrying large cargo containers, some of which were covered in canvas and raised to high points like little circus tents themselves. In the waning light they could just make out the red lettering of the circus logo on several of the cars. Behind the flat beds were half a dozen cattle and cargo cars which, from the outside, gave no clue what they contained.

The engine screeched to a stop and belched and hissed steam as it settled and the rumbling died down. The excited murmuring of the crowd fell silent waiting to see what would happen. A door banged open in one of the cargo cars and a small form, maybe three feet tall, scrambled down, grunting and swearing with the effort. He seemed oblivious to the mass of people watching him as he turned toward the train, unfastened his pants and urinated loudly and, seemingly, endlessly against a wheel.

Children giggled and women gasped as the little man groaned before shaking out the last few drops and buttoning his pants again.

The Marshal looked on horrified, Emily covered her mouth to muffle her laugh and Paige rolled her eyes with a sigh. The Marshal was in way over his head. He gripped Emily's arm, dragging her along with Paige following closely behind and approached the man, clearing his throat. "I'm Marshal Wayne Fields." He announced himself in his most authoritative voice. "I need to speak with the man in charge."

The little man turned and squinted in waning light at the Marshal. He was young and ruddy faced with patchy facial hair. He held out his hand. "Pleased to meet you Marshal Fields." He said in a high, nasally voice. "Billy Williams, at your service."

The Marshal stared at him. "You're in charge?" He blurted.

"Dad!" Emily admonished quietly.

Billy Williams glared at him and screwed up his face in anger. "What?" He snapped. "You think because I'm a midget I can't run this operation?"

The Marshal took a step back. "No, I'm sorry...I didn't mean any offense…" He spluttered.

Billy Williams barked a laugh and leaned in to jab the Marshal in the gut. "I'm just messing with you, Sheriff." His eyes glittered with mischief. "Who the hell would put me in charge?"

"It's Marshal." He replied and frowned not liking being made a fool of. "Can you show me to him?" He asked through gritted teeth.

The little man's eyes flashed and turned to Emily. "Not until you introduce me to this lovely creature." He grasped her hand and planted a wet kiss on the back.

Emily smiled at his antics. "Emily Fields." She replied. "Very pleased to meet you." She turned to Paige and pulled her forward from where she was skulking in the shadow of the train. "And this is Paige McCullers.

Billy turned to Paige. "Yikes!" He said and held out his hand. "Someone sure did a number on you."

Paige shook his hand and mumbled a greeting, her mood souring as the evening wore on.

Billy turned back to Emily, his eyes narrowing. "Fields?" He repeated flicking his eyes between her and her father. "Wow, Beautiful, you sure settled. Did you answer an ad in the paper or something?" He shook his head sadly.

Emily laughed. "No, he's my father." She corrected.

"Indeed?" Billy's eyes brightened again. "Well, in that case, right this way, My Dear." He held up his arm and crooked his elbow for Emily. "Your colorful friend can come, too."

Emily was charmed and took his offered arm. Billy had to hold his arm up high and she had to reach down but they made it work. She looked back at Paige and shrugged letting Billy Williams lead her to a train car in the back.

The Marshal stood staring after them for a beat before turning to Paige and offering her his arm. "Shall we?" He asked.

Paige scowled at him. "Cut it out." She said before trudging after Emily, hands jammed in her pockets.

Billy led them to the last car. They could hear music coming from inside and see lantern light through the windows. As they stepped into the car the air was thick with cigar smoke and scented candles. The train car was lavishly decorated in red velvet and dark wood, lined with plush benches, tasseled pillows, and animal skin rugs.

A tall, thin man stood at the back of the car, his back to them, swaying to the music and puffing on a cigar so large his mouth barely went around it. He wore black dress pants and a rumpled white shirt rolled up to the elbow, a long coat with tails was draped carelessly over the back of a chair.

"Hey, El!" Billy barked at him. "Sheriff's here to talk to you."

The man jumped at the interruption and turned sharply, frowning at them. He yanked the cigar out of his mouth and turned off the gramophone. "What's that?" He growled in a deep voice.

The Marshal stepped forward and extended his hand. "Marshal Wayne Fields." He said. "I was hoping to have a word with you about your stay here in Cheyenne. The folks here are pretty excited about you being here and I want to make sure everything goes off without a hitch."

The man broke into a showman's grin, the ends of a carefully groomed handlebar mustache curling even further as he smiled. "Of course, of course." He boomed. "Come in, Sir." His eyes swept to Emily. "My Dear, aren't you vision." He took her hand and bowed deeply. "Eldridge Price, your most humble servant."

Billy danced around in front of Emily. "This is the Marshal's daughter, Emily." He offered in an I saw her first tone. "And her friend." He added as an afterthought.

"Holy Mary Mother of Jesus!" The man said as he looked at Paige, his eyes going wide as he studied her. "Aren't you a spectacle."

Paige balled her hands into fists and squeezed her eyes shut briefly, letting out a slow breath. "It's just a broken nose." She said with effort to keep from screaming.

"Ahhhh." Eldridge Price nodded his head. "Good, good. For a minute there I thought I was going ot have to offer you a job with us." He said lightly.

The Marshal couldn't help a snort of laughter and tried to cover it up with a cough, covering his mouth.

Emily, too, covered her mouth and looked apologetically to Paige.

"Anyway." The Marshal pressed on. "We have a lot of anxious folk outside and there will be three times that when your gates open. Is there anything I should know about how this all works, Mr. Price?"

"I assure you, Marshal." He replied smoothly. "We run tight ship here. I don't anticipate any problems."

"Mr. Price! Mr. Price!" A breathless young boy barrelled into the train car and skidded to a stop when he saw the strangers. He yanked off his grubby cap and looked wide eyed at the Marshal, his mouth working nervously.

"It's alright, Jack." Eldridge Price soothed. "No one is in trouble. What seems to be the problem?"

The boy seemed uncertain for another moment then fixed his eyes on his boss. "The lock on the tool crate's broke and we can't start settin up-"

Eldridge Price sighed. "Can't someone fix it?" He asked impatiently, his face darkening.

The boy shuffled his feet. "Well, sure...iffin we could get at the tools…" He mumbled.

"Yes. Yes." Eldridge Price waved his hand. "Billy?"

Billy shrugged, helplessly.

"I can ask someone to help you out with that." The Marshall offered.

Mr. Price's eyes lit up. "Excellent!" He twirled and end of his mustache. "While we're on the subject, Marshal, I shall have to ask that you clear your people out. I'm afraid that we are unable to set up with such an audience. There have to be some surprises, you know." He said cryptically. "The gates are open from 10 am to 10 pm with main shows every two hours. Plenty of time for everyone to get their fill."

The Marshal nodded. "I understand."

"On that note." Mr. Price said breezily. "You'll have to excuse me. There's much to do. We intend to put on quite a show for you tomorrow. Billy will show you out."

The Marshal frowned at having just been dismissed without actually getting any information from the man but followed Billy back out into the night ushering Emily and Paige out ahead of him. "I'll send someone down with some tools." He told Billy.

Billy nodded. "Two cars up from Mr. Price." He offered by way of direction before the Marshal turned to find his deputies and send the townspeople on their way.

Emily turned to Paige. "Ready to go?"

"Thought you'd never ask." Paige grumbled and kicked the dirt.

"Emily?" Billy called and hurried to her side before she left. "Would you do me the great honor of allowing me to escort you to the show tomorrow?"

Emily blushed, her eyes flicking to Paige who simply sighed and walked away. "Oh, Billy, that's very kind of you but I'm afraid you may have the wrong impression." She said. "I'm not available but I'm terribly flattered."

Billy laughed, though not unkindly. "Oh, don't I know it." He said. "Tall, bruised and broody over there can't take her eyes off you." He looked at Emily quizzically. "I wouldn't have figured you to go for the sullen type."

Emily laughed, too. "Paige, isn't usually so ill-tempered. She's just prickly right now about her looks."

"Well, if it makes her feel any better, there will be plenty of other things for folks to stare at tomorrow. She'll not rate a passing glance." He offered with a twinkle in his eye. "So, now that you know my intentions are honorable it would be my pleasure to escort you both tomorrow."

Emily beamed. "I would be delighted."

"10:00 sharp at the main gate." He said as he trotted off toward the front of the train.

* * *

**Happy Season 5! Go Paige!**


	5. Chapter 5

The sun shone brilliantly down atop the enormous red and white striped tent, the flags at the peak fluttering in the breeze. It seemed the entire town was lined up at the gate as people streamed in through the approved entrance happily shelling out the 25 cent entrance fee which got them onto the grounds and into the main tent. Additional fees of a nickel each got them into the sideshow events.

"He's late." Paige complained as she stood, arms crossed, and looked out at the grounds. People were everywhere with booths and smaller tents set up as far as the eye could see. The soft breeze wafted smells of animal dung, beer and various roasting meats in their direction. A clown on stilts tottered by the main entrance to the delight of children waiting to get in and a shriek of excitement from the crowd at the gate followed a startling roar by some unseen exotic animal.

Emily sighed and slipped her arm around Paige's waist. "Are you going to be sulky all day?" She asked gently. "Because I can catch up with Hanna and Spencer if you don't want to go." Emily turned Paige so they were facing each other and locked both her arms around her waist, peering under the brim of her hat and batting her eyes. "But I'd rather spend the day with you."

Paige couldn't help a smile as Emily ducked under her hat and sought out her lips with her own. Encouraging her to open her mouth and let her in, their tongues tangling as the kiss deepened.

Paige sensed movement nearby and the heat of someone's stare at the back of her neck. She, reluctantly, eased away from Emily and turned to see Billy Williams grinning like an idiot on the other side of the fence.

"Oh, no." He clapped, excitedly. "Don't let me interrupt. You two are truly something to behold and, believe you me, I know what I'm talking about."

"Billy!" Emily chided without anger. "Mind your manners."

"Right, how rude." Billy's grin never faltered. "So, sorry I'm late. We've been plagued with one problem after another setting up. I wouldn't be surprised at all if the entire tent collapsed this time around." He noticed Emily and Paige's concerned looks. "Not to worry. Come around through the gate and we'll start the tour." He nodded to the gate attendant who waved them through.

Emily looked back at the line and cringed. So many people had been waiting much longer than they to get in. "Shouldn't we wait-" She motioned back to the crowd.

"Nonsense!" Billy answered. "There's lots to see so we have to get a move on."

Paige was still thinking on his earlier comment. She sensed there was something he was hiding. "What kind of problems has the show been having?" She asked.

"What?" He answered distractedly as he waved to a giant, muscle bound man in tights who appeared to be warming up by lifting children over his head. "That's Kristophe, the Strongman. His act is amazing."

"You said you had problems with set up and this time around." Paige persisted. "Has this happened before?"

He eyed her, warily. "You know an operation this size isn't without it's foibles. Nothing to be alarmed about." He walked them farther back into the grounds.

Paige jerked as a shower of peanut shells rained down on her. "Hey!" She yelled and spun around, angrily, looking for the source of the assault. She saw no children and in fact no people nearby. She brushed off her hat and carried on with the tour.

"Paige?" Emily asked curiously.

"It's nothing." Paige said, her eyes flicking around.

Emily chatted amiably with Billy Williams as he led them around the grounds introducing them to Eunice, the Fat Lady, Diana the Bearded Lady and Molly and Peter the contortionists who were so twisted around one another she wasn't sure whose hand she was shaking.

Billy suggested they go for a refreshment of fresh lemonade before they went around to see the animals. They waited in line at a small booth and Paige jumped again as peanut shells pelted her head and back. "What the hell?!" She yanked off her hat and looked around.

A high pitched animal scream from above her drew her attention and she shielded her eyes from the sun to see a little brown monkey, the size of a barn cat, sitting on the edge of the lemonade booth cracking peanuts and flinging the shells.

"A monkey!" She exclaimed. "That little jerk!"

Billy and Emily followed her gaze. "Oh, yeah." Billy nodded his head in understanding. "He's a right little bastard, that one. His name is Norman and he belongs to Archie Finnegan, one of the animal handlers. We've all petitioned to have the little beast removed at one time or another but Archie says if Norman goes then he goes and he's one of the best elephant handlers around. Don't worry, you'll get used to him."

Paige glared up at the little animal who showed his teeth and jumped up and down with a screech, flinging more shells down at her. "I'm watching you!" She barked at him.

Emily laughed. "You tell him, Paige."

They heard another scream from around the backside of one of the smaller tents. This one ear splitting and most definitely human. Paige took off in the direction, followed closely by Emily and Billy. She skidded to a halt as she saw a young woman, a trapeze artist by the way she was dressed, backed up against the canvas tent looking wild eyed and terrified. With good reason as a large bengal tiger moved toward her, crouched low and ready to attack.

Paige's heart leaped in her throat and she reached for her Colt only to feel empty air. Except for the law weapons weren't allowed in the gates. The woman screamed again as the big cat showed its teeth, chuffing and growling its intent.

Paige looked back quick to make sure Emily was clear and saw Billy run off behind a tent. She took off her hat and waved it wide over her head. "Over here!" She yelled at the animal. She bent and picked up a stone hurling it at its head as he approached to get its attention. "Hey! Back off, Tiny!" She yelled.

The cat grunted at the stone bounced off its nose and turned toward her. Paige was distantly aware of Emily screaming her name as the tiger redirected its attention from the its initial target to Paige. Paige moved around slowly as the animal followed her and steered it away from the woman who darted out from against the tent and into the waiting arms of her fellow performers who had been looking on in horror and they moved a safe distance out of the way.

"That's it, Kitty Kitty." Paige called, her heart hammering in her chest. She wasn't sure what to do now but was relieved everyone seemed to be out of danger for the moment. Everyone except her, that is. Sweat poured down her face and she blinked as it stung her eyes, blurring her vision. She was really hoping Billy ran off to get someone to help.

The cat was closing in on her, chuffing and rocking its head back and forth, and she looked, frantically for a way out if she hand to run. She really hoped it didn't come to that.

"Bella, Non!" Came a sharp voice followed by the crack of a whip as a large, dark skinned man came around the back side of a tent. The cat turned at the sound of his voice and crouched low to the ground, her tail swishing back and forth in the dirt. He crooned softly to the tiger in French and pulled a square of raw meat from a leather pouch at his belt, offering it to the animal.

Paige's eyes widened as the animal took the treat, delicately, out of his hand. The man patted the animal on the head. "I am sorry." He said in heavily accented English. "I do not know how come she escape." He bowed deeply to Paige. "Merci!." He said. "I am Phillipe. I am sorry if my lady frightened you." He didn't wait for a reply but guided the tiger back where she belonged.

Paige straightened, a hand going to her chest to slow her heart. "Holy Shit!" She breathed when the animal disappeared behind a tent and turned just as Emily slammed into her, wrapping her arms around her neck. "Are you alright?" She breathed and kissed her hard.

"I'm fine." Paige said, sounding somewhat strangled from the grip Emily had on her.

Emily pulled away and smacked her hard in the arm. "Are you out of your damn mind!" Her face was a mask of fear and anger. "What exactly did you think you were going to do, wrestle it? You're not even armed!"

"Ow, Emily!" Paige gasped having a hard time keeping up with Emily's emotions. "Um, I don't know." She shrugged, sheepishly, rubbing her arm. "I hadn't really thought it through."

Billy looked between them. "Ah, I see the attraction now." He eyed Paige. "You're a real wild one aren't you?"

"Billy!" Emily snapped. "Not now!" Emily turned back to Paige. "We should go find my father and let him know what happened."

Billy's face sobered. "No, Emily, you can't do that!" He exclaimed.

Emily looked at him perplexed. "He needs to know if there's a danger here, Billy. It's his job to keep people safe."

Billy gripped Emily's arm hard. "Emily, please." He begged. "He could shut us down over this. There weren't any customers back here, no one saw but us employees and no one even got hurt this time."

"This time?" Paige's eyes narrowed at him. "This has happened before?"

Billy gulped. He had said too much. "Not exactly."

Emily put her hands on her hips. "Then what exactly?" She eyed Billy hard but he remained stubbornly silent. "Have it your way. We'll let my father sort it out."

Billy's face bunched and twisted. "Alright!" He blurted. "I'll tell you, just, please, don't tell your father. It could ruin us." He pleaded.

Emily sighed. "I can't make any promises but if you tell us what is going on maybe we can help."

"Not here." He said and looked furtively around. "Come with me."

He led them through throngs of townsfolk lining up to enter the main tent for the big show and weaved them skillfully through plate spinners, jugglers and unicyclists entertaining those left outside.

He stopped outside a small tent on the fringe of the grounds. A small oriental rug decorated the ground at the entrance. Billy poked his head inside and motioned them in behind him. Emily coughed and Paige's eyes teared up at the thick incense filling the small space. The tent was dimly lit and covered with more rugs. Wind chimes and beads hung randomly from the ceiling and there was a single small table covered by a tapestry in the center of the room with several chairs around it. On it's center sat an actual crystal ball.

"Madame Sapphira doesn't take clients until later in the day." He explained. "We shouldn't be disturbed here. Sit." He pulled out a chair for Emily.

Paige moved to the table and reached out to the ball.

"Don't touch that!" Billy hissed.

Paige snatched her hand away, wide eyed.

Billy laughed. "I'm just messing with you." He wrapped on the glass ball with his knuckles. "It's just a prop because people expect it.

Paige frowned. "So she's just another charlatan taking money from the weak minded?"

"On the contrary." Billy answered. "Sapphira is excellent at her craft. She just doesn't need a crystal ball." Billy cocked an eyebrow at her. "I should introduce you."

"Later." Emily said. "Right now you need to tell us what's going on."

Billy sighed and hopped up into a chair, his feet swinging back and forth off the ground. "So, everything started to go wonky…" Billy drifted away for a moment then shrugged. "...pretty much from the first show on the tour."

"Wonky?" Emily prodded.

"Just little stuff at first." Billy explained. "Missing parts, broken tent lines, spoiled food. Really just nuisance problems and not entirely unexpected so no one thought much of it." He took a breath. "Then a few stops ago the problems started becoming more serious."

"What happened?" Paige asked. She had remained standing, unwilling to make herself at home in Madam Sapphira's mystical lair.

"Troupe wide food poisoning that we actually had to cancel a show for, a line snapped on the trapeze during a training session and one of our people was injured pretty seriously and some other small stuff some of which you saw like the tool crate being broken. I mean without that we can't set up." He finished and threw his hands out. "Someone does not want the show to go on."

"Who knows about this?" Emily asked.

"Well, everyone I guess but this is what we do. It's our livelihood." He explained. "Some of these people, myself included, would have nothing if not for the carnival."

"But it's one of you." Paige said. "Who would do this? A vendetta against Mr. Price? A jilted lover? A disgruntled worker?"

Billy laughed at that. "I challenge you to find a worker who's not disgruntled." He sobered quickly. "Except for maybe the high end acts, they get treated pretty well, everyone here would like a bigger piece of the pie."

"Any ideas?" Emily asked.

Billy shrugged. "El did have a thing going with Lizzie Barlow for a while. She's the star of the trick ponies. I don't think it was serious but I guess she could be holding a grudge."

"What about the competition?" Paige asked. "Could a rival outfit be trying to sabotage your show so they can step in and take over?"

"Hmmm, a spy among us" Billy steepled his fingers under his chin and wiggled his fingers. "Now that it an interesting idea." He thought for a moment. "I know a lot about this operation but there are a lot of entertainers, laborers, cooks, and handlers. I don't know enough about everyone to be able to answer that but I can ask around."

Emily stood. "In the meantime-"

"Not your father!" Billy jumped out of his chair, his eyes desperate.

"No, not my father." Emily answered. "I don't think any of your people are going to talk to him and if he shuts you down now this will just pick back up at your next stop. Better we get to the bottom of it now before someone really gets hurt, or worse."

"Billy." A lyrical voice sang from the doorway of the tent. "I see you brought me guests."

Paige turned to see a woman who could only be Madame Sapphira step through the flap. She was old and weathered but her eyes shown with sharp intelligence. A cigarette dangled from her bony fingers and she tapped ash onto the floor with long, curling fingernails. Her hair was stark white and hung down the middle of her back in a long braid. Her dress hung loosely on her in long, multicolored, diaphanous layers. Her eyes flicked to Emily then settled back on Paige with keen interest.

"I guess it's true what they say, no?" She gestured to Paige's face with a small smile. "Love hurts?"

Paige straightened, unsettled by her comment. She couldn't possibly know what had happened "We were just leaving." She said and moved to edge past the woman.

Madame Sapphira reached out to brush her hand down Paige's arm as she slipped by. "Take care, Child." She purred. "Trouble follows you."

* * *

**Shana, huh? Not that shocking and, like everything else in the show, makes little sense. And yet, I watch on...mostly just for the chance to see Paige being sexy as hell.**


	6. Chapter 6

Paige stepped, hurriedly, back out into the sunshine and gulped the fresh air. Her skin prickled where the woman had touched her and her heart raced. She took a deep breath to calm her heart as Emily and Billy joined her outside the tent.

"Paige?" Emily asked with concern. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah." Paige swallowed and shook her head to clear it and forced a smile. "Yes, I'm fine."

Billy grinned at her. "Don't worry, Doll, Sapphira has that effect on some people. Creepy isn't it?"

"What did she say to you when you walked by?" Emily asked curiously.

Um, nothing." Paige lied. She didn't want to worry Emily. Not that the cryptic musings of a crazy old woman were anything to worry about.

"So where to?" Paige wanted to change the subject. "To talk to Lizzie Barlow?"

Billy nodded and pulled a pocket watch. "She'll be getting ready for her act in the main tent so you'll have to wait to speak with her but you should definitely check out the show. I have some other things I need to attend to for a bit. I'll catch up with you later and introduce you to Lizzie." He trotted off without a glance back leaving Paige and Emily looking after him.

"That was strange." Emily mused.

"Guess it's just me and you." Paige reached for Emily's hand and laced their fingers together. "I hope that's okay with you?" She asked with a smile.

Emily grinned and dipped her head under Paige's hat to steal a kiss. "It's perfect."

They walked back to the main tent and could hear the thunderous applause and roar of excitement from the crowd as the show was getting started. "Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls…" Eldridge Price's voice boomed through the air.

"Do you want anything to eat or drink?" Paige asked as they wended their way closer. She pulled a few coins from her pocket and counted some money as she stood outside a vendor. Before she knew what happened a tiny, hairy hand with sharp claws flashed down and snatched the money from her hand. "Hey!" She yelled and jerked her head up.

Norman sat perched on top of the refreshment booth putting her coins into his mouth and trying to bite down on them. He looked at her and shrieked his amusement.

Paige's face reddened in fury and she bent to pick up a fist sized stone. "Norman! You worthless, filthy, little weasel!" She barked and cocked her arm back.

"Paige!" Emily grabbed her arm to stop her. "What are you doing?" She flicked her eyes around to the children and their parents who had stopped to watch the display. "Put that down. Now." Emily hissed at her.

Paige frowned at Emily and looked back to the monkey who bounced up and down smiling before taking off with her money, swinging from the tent lines. She dropped the stone. "Asshole." She mumbled under her breath.

"What was that?" Emily asked, eyebrows raised.

"Nothing." Paige grumbled.

Out of nowhere Hanna came bouncing up to them, a bag of roasted peanuts in one hand. "Oh, Em, I've been looking for you everywhere!" She exclaimed.

"Hi, Hanna." Emily greeted her. "We were just about to catch the show."

"Mmmm. Later." Hanna announced. "Right now you're coming with me to check out the vendors on the west side. There's jewelry, scarves and fabrics from all over and all sorts of interesting things." She tugged on Emily's arm. "Come on!"

Emily glanced to Paige, apologetically. "Do you want to come?"

"No." Paige waved her off. "Go. I'll meet up with you after." She said sourly. So much for just the two of them.

"Do you need some money?" Emily didn't mean it as a joke but the look on her face told her Paige thought she was making fun of her.

Paige glared at her and turned away heading for the main tent.

"What's got her knickers in a twist?" Hanna asked, munching on a peanut.

"She's just…" Emily sighed. "...having a tough day."

Hanna snorted. "You think she'd be used to that by now."

Emily rolled her eyes. "Let's go."

* * *

Paige was immediately buffeted by the heat and noise in the tent. It was all she could do not to turn and walk right back out but she spied the beer vendor coming her way holding a tray of a dozen flimsy waxed paper cups of cold beer.

Paige waved him over and dug in her pocket again. Thanks to the monkey she had no smaller currency anymore and peeled off a five dollar bill. The vendor's eyes widened at the money. "Um, how many did you want?" He asked. "I can't make change-"

"All of them." Paige cut him off and jammed the bill into his shirt pocket before lifting the tray from around his neck. "Thanks."

Paige peered up into the stands looking for a quiet place to settle and drink her beer. Not all of it, of course. Well, maybe. And somehow, in the sea of people, her eyes came to rest on Toby and Spencer. She tried to look away but it was too late. Spencer probably would have agreed to pretend they hadn't seen each other but Toby waved and stood up indicating a spot for her next to them.

Paige sighed and trudged up the risers, tiptoeing her way past the people already seated while only sloshing a little bit of beer out of the cups and onto the people below her. The empty seat was next to Spencer, of course, and she sat carefully so as not to dampen her with beer as she settled the tray on her lap.

Spencer cocked an eyebrow at her. "This is a new look for you." She said dryly. "I'm sure with your skill set they can come up with a better position for you."

"You're hilarious." Paige answered as she worked her way through two of the cups rapidly. "Do you want one or not?"

Spencer helped herself to a beer and passed one to Toby. "Where's Emily?" She asked.

"Shopping with Hanna." Paige replied.

Spencer snorted. "Better her than me."

"That's what I was thinking." Paige agreed with a quirk of her mouth and started a third beer.

Spencer eyed her. "Better slow down there, McCullers."

"Why?" Paige asked.

Spencer shrugged. She really didn't have a good reason. She finished her own beer and reached for another. Toby eyed them both with a shake of his head. "This should be fun." He muttered.

* * *

Emily let the smooth silk scarf slide through her fingers as she worked her way around the rack of beautiful colored fabrics while Hanna haggled loudly with the vendor over the price of the scarf she wanted.

It didn't seem like they were going to come to an agreement any time soon so she wandered off to check out some of the other booths. She stopped as she came to a display of amazing carved green turquoise jewelry. The pieces were exquisitely made into various animals, flowers and stars of different sizes. A pendant caught her eye. It was a small butterfly, no bigger than a dime, simple and elegant and she picked it up to run her fingers over its polished surface.

"The Butterfly is a powerful symbol of transformation." A familiar voice said from within the booth.

Emily jerked her head up. "Billy!" She exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

He shrugged. "Making a living, I hope." He answered with a smile.

Emily looked down at the stones, her eyes widening. "These are yours?" She asked. "I thought…" She trailed off.

"You thought I was a performer?" He asked.

"I'm sorry...I didn't mean to assume…" She stammered, embarrassed.

He grinned. "I'm just messing with you." He laughed. "I do perform and but not always. This is my passion." He gestured around the booth.

"These are incredible." Emily breathed. "You're very talented."

He bowed, pleased at the compliment. "You know the butterfly gives up everything it knows to embrace its new self and an entirely new way of life. It takes enormous strength and courage to do that." He gestured to the stone in her hand.

Emily nodded. "It does." She agreed softly.

"May I?" He reached for the stone and Emily placed it into his hand. He disappeared into the back of the booth for a few minutes. When he returned he handed it back to Emily. He had threaded it onto a black leather cord, adorned on each side with a single black jet bead. "I think she'll be pleased." He said proudly.

"Who?" Emily asked surprised.

"Your lady love, of course." Billy answered.

Emily shook her head with a smile. "Are you sure you shouldn't be working in Madame Sapphira's tent?"

"Oh, please." He scoffed. "One doesn't have to be a fortune teller to figure you two out."

Emily reached into her skirt pocket. "What do I owe you?"

He pretended to consider. "One dollar." Billy answered firmly.

Emily frowned and stared him down. "Try again." She answered.

He looked uncertain. "Seventy five cents?"

Emily laughed. "I meant the other way." She clarified. "There's no way I'm taking this from you for only one dollar."

"Oh, I'm not exactly accustomed to my customers haggling me up." He explained "Two dollars." He said with a smile.

Emily shook her head and laughed, pulling a five dollar bill from her pocket. "I think this is more appropriate."

Billy's eyes went wide. "Emily, I maybe could sell my best work for that much money."

He was proud and would never accept her money if he thought it charity, she knew. She could, also, see in his eyes what that money would mean to him. "Well, as far as I'm concerned this is your best work."

He beamed. "You drive a hard bargain Miss Fields." He picked up the bill and snapped it a few times before tucking it down the front of his pants.

Emily's eyes widened and she cleared her throat.

"Sorry." He said, reddening. "When you work with a company of beggars and thieves you have to learn to hide things where no one would think to look."

"I get it." She said, holding up her hand not needing further explanation.

* * *

By the time the trick pony act came on Paige and Spencer had all but cleared the tray of beer. They had spent the last hour hooting and hollering at the clowns, trapeze artists, and jugglers, Paige making liberal use of her ear-splitting whistle, much to the displeasure of those sitting nearest them.

The animals had sent Spencer into near frenzied laughter and she clapped and cheered as the lions roared and danced on command and the elephants balanced themselves on small barrels, rising up on their rear legs.

Paige passed Spencer another beer as she finished the one in her hand. Paige stuck her cup between her teeth so she could clap with both hands as a woman, dressed in a white, glittering bodysuit rode into the ring standing atop two snow white ponies. The woman and each of the ponies had a flowing blue feather plume on their heads.

The ponies bridles were ornately decorated with small, light saddles to match. They did two tours around the ring as the woman held the long reins in one hand and waved to the crown as she went by with the other.

As she made the next trip around, the ponies at a slow even canter, slowly drifted away from each other leaving the woman doing a complete split between them. The audience went wild.

"Whoa." Spencer breathed and nudged Paige with a wink. "Imagine the leg strength on that one."

"No kidding!" Paige answered and sipped her beer.

The woman brought the ponies back together again and stepped to one of them only while the other kept pace beside. "What's she doing?" Paige asked as the woman crouched on the back of the pony and positioned her hands.

"I think she's going to stand on her head." Spencer replied.

"No way!" Paige breathed. Sure enough Lizzie Barlow placed her head carefully up near the withers and slowly raised her legs straight in the air, supporting herself on her head and hands only while the ponies kept up pace.

Paige frowned. "I bet I could do that." She declared.

Spencer cracked up. "I'd like to see you try, McCullers." She challenged. "No, on second thought, I wouldn't 'cause I'm going to be the one that has to pick up the pieces when you break your fool neck."

Spencer and Paige argued drunkenly as the show carried on around them their attention only being jerked back to the performance as a collective gasp went up from the crowd. Paige turned to the ring in time to see Lizzie Barlow wobble precariously on one leg atop a galloping pony who shied and and shook its head.

She wrestled with the reins to get it back under control, shifting her weight and trying to get her other leg down and balanced. "What's going on?" Spencer asked afraid, any second now, she'd be called to action.

Paige shrugged as the pony settled and the woman got both feet down. She plastered a smile to her face and made another trip around the ring before guiding the ponies out the back of the tent to thunderous applause. "She must have just lost her balance." Paige suggested. "It happens."

"But not to you, I'm sure." Spencer quipped, picking up the thread of their previous abandoned argument.

* * *

Emily and Hanna stood outside the main tent as the audience from the noon show streamed out in search of food, drink and other entertainments. The pendant for Paige was burning a hole in Emily's pocket. She couldn't wait to give it to her. It was perfect. Hanna spied Toby and waved him over. "Hey, how was the show?" She asked.

"Which one?" He replied dryly.

Emily frowned. "What does that mean?"

Toby sighed. "You'll see."

The crowd exiting the tent thinned and Emily watched, mouth agape, as Paige and Spencer staggered out together, laughing and talking animatedly in, what at first, sounded like a foreign language. Spencer threw her head back in hysterics at something Paige said and overbalanced, sending herself to the ground in a drunken heap.

Paige laughed so hard she began to hiccup as she tried to help her stand. "Get up, Hastings!" She slurred.

Spencer flailed a hand at her. "Just leave me here." Spencer laid her head down on her arms and curled up.

Toby rolled his eyes. "I think that's my cue." He moved to Spencer and hauled her to her feet. "I think it's time to go, Spencer."

"What? Noooo." She whined. "I'm having fun. Me and Paige, we're going to go see the Wolf-Man...which is really just an unlucky bastard with hypertrichosis...but I'm really only interested from a professional standpoint…" She continued to ramble as Toby led her toward the main gate.

"See ya, Hastings!" Paige called as she weaved her way over to Emily.

"I better go with them." Hanna said with a laugh. "She might be too much for Toby to handle like this."

Paige grinned, lopsidedly, and moved to greet Emily with a kiss but Emily pulled out of her way. "What has gotten into you?" She hissed.

Paige made sweeping gesture with her arm. "The greatest show on earth!"

"Jesus, Paige!" Emily replied but couldn't help a smile at her ridiculousness. She didn't often see Paige completely cut loose and with Spencer Hastings no less.

Emily worked to school her expression and led Paige to a group of wooden tables where folks were settled and digging into plates of barbecue, corn and bread. "Stay put!" She ordered. "I'm going to get you some food."

Emily returned a few minutes later to find Paige in a heated discussion with a pack of children regarding the best techniques for lion taming. She slid a plate of food in front of her and set down two mugs. One of water and another of coffee.

Paige looked in them and frowned. "No beer?"

Emily blew out a frustrated sigh. "They were out." She checked around them. "We're meeting Billy shortly so he can introduce us to Lizzie Barlow."

"Mmm. She was amazing!" Paige mumbled around a mouthful of food. "The kind of shape she has to be in to pull off those tricks...I mean splits? On horseback?" Paige shoveled more food into her mouth and gazed dreamily into the distance.

Emily could only shake her head, laughing to herself, and hope that Paige could pull herself together by the time Billy showed up. With any luck he would be late.


	7. Chapter 7

"Where's Paige?" Billy asked as he approached Emily sitting at the table with her head in her hands.

Emily looked to him and gestured vaguely behind her. "Privy." She said.

He bounced up and down on the balls of his feet, excitedly. "Did you give it to her?"

"No." She sighed.

His face fell. "Why not?"

"Paige is...how should I say…" Emily cringed.

"Oh, my." Billy said as he focused on something beyond her. "I see."

Emily turned and followed his gaze to see Paige swaggering their way, her shirt half untucked and the top of her pants unfastened, the ends of her belt dangling against her thigh. She seemed oblivious of her state of dishevelment as she tipped her hat with a goofy grin to folks as she passed by.

"Oh, for Godsakes." Emily muttered and stood as Paige reached them.

"Hiya, Billy!" Paige greeted him gustily.

"Paige!" Emily ground out as she tucked in her shirt for her, buttoned her pants and buckled her belt. "Get it together! We told Billy we'd help him find out who's responsible for the damage to the show." She reminded her.

"I know." Paige whispered loudly. "I was questioning the beer vendor over there." She hooked a thumb over her shoulder. "He doesn't know anything." She added with a wink.

Once she had Paige decent again Emily pushed her back down to the bench. "I'm really sorry, Billy." She shook her head. "Paige is usually really quite dependable."

Billy stifled a laugh with his hand but his amusement sparkled in his eyes. "I suspect, even in her current condition, Paige is a force to be reckoned with."

"Damn right!" Paige interjected.

"So, are you ready to meet Lizzie Barlow?" He asked.

Paige leapt to her feet. "Yes, I am!"

Emily rolled her eyes and gripped Paige's arm to keep her from rushing off in the wrong direction. "Lead on." She gestured to Billy.

They could hear Lizzie Barlow long before they could see her as they came to the practice ring behind the main tent. She was screeching her displeasure to anyone within earshot and workers actually crouched low as they moved around her as if her words were physical ammunition aimed at them.

"Uh oh." Billy whispered. "She's in a mood."

"No kidding." Emily whispered back.

"Let me handle this…" He said and trailed off, mouth hanging open, as Paige sauntered over to her.

"Miss Barlow." Paige began and pulled off her hat, respectfully. " It's a real honor to meet you." She gushed, starry eyed.

Lizzie Barlow eyed Paige warily. "Who the hell are you?"

"Paige McCullers, Ma'am." Paige extended her hand. "I'm a big fan."

"How nice for you." The woman said haughtily, ignoring Paige's hand.

Paige didn't seem to notice but was saved from making a bigger fool of herself when Billy stepped in. "Lizzie, I couldn't help overhear that you're upset about something." He said.

"Oh, Billy, Thank God!" Lizzie exclaimed. "Finally someone with more between their ears than horse dung." She thrust her hand under Billy's nose and opened her fingers. In her palm were three small sharp stones. "Can you please find out from these idiots masquerading as grooms how not one, not two, but three stones could end up beneath the saddle blanket of one of the ponies!?"

"Ahhh. So that's what happened." Paige declared triumphantly.

Lizzie Barlow glared at her. "Who is this crazy person?"

"Nevermind her." Billy said. "These were under the saddle blanket?" He repeated.

"That's what I just said." She snapped. "What? Does everyone around here need their own side show? We can call it the men born with no brains."

Emily decided it was best to stay out of the conversation for now. She had been all prepared to question Lizzie Barlow about her relationship with Eldridge Price but now, it seemed, she was the most recent victim of the saboteur. It was extremely unlikely that she would have staged such a ruse on herself to deflect suspicion. If she had been thrown she could have been seriously injured or worse. A loss of one of the main attractions would seriously affect the ability of the circus to carry on.

Before anyone could speak again Norman screamed from the edge of the main tent. They all jumped at the sound and Lizzie Barlow's face darkened dangerously. "That goddamn monkey!" She screamed and hurled the three stones at it." She had a remarkably strong arm and the little animal shrieked again and fled as they pelted him.

"Ha!" Paige clapped. "You got the little shit!" She cheered.

"Paige!" Emily scolded.

Lizzie Barlow looked at Paige and cocked her head with interest. "Who did you say you were again?"

Billy explained to her that Emily and Paige were friends and were helping him figure out who was responsible for the accidents that had been plaguing the show of late. "So, was anyone around the ponies that shouldn't be before you went on?" Billy asked.

"No." Lizzie shook her head exasperated. "And I saddle them myself because I'm not trusting my safety to these freak shows."

Billy blinked at the insult and paused.

"Did you leave the animals alone at all before you went on?" Emily jumped in and picked up the line of questioning.

Lizzie Barlow stared at her for a long moment. "No." She turned her head. "Well, maybe for less than a minute but not long enough for someone to mess with the saddle without me seeing them."

"Miss Barlow." Paige began and Emily visibly held her breath waiting to hear what was going to come out of her mouth. Hopefully not something that would get her nose broken again. "Do you know of anyone in the troupe who may have been hired away from a rival company? Who may, in fact still be working for a rival company and trying to undermine this production so they can take over?"

Emily released the breath she had been holding. Apparently, Paige had been paying attention and still, at least for the moment, had her wits about her.

Lizzie Barlow seemed to consider this for a moment. "No." She shook her head. "Wait! That's not true. Archie Finnegan the elephant handler came from some start up outfit I don't even know the name of. I only even know this because I went to El to complain about the goddamn monkey and he told me his story."

Billy's eyes brightened. "So, he could still be working for this other outfit. Maybe thinking if we go down this other troupe had a shot?"

Lizzie looked sceptical. "I don't think so. I seem to recall El saying that the act went under already. That's why Archie was looking for work."

Billy's face fell at the news. Her really thought they were on to something. "Okay. Thanks, Lizzie. We'll let you get set for the next show."

Emily let out an exasperated sigh. They were back where they started. "What now?"

"I'm going to go talk to Archie. If he got his start at another outfit I bet he knows others who did, too." Billy answered. "I think we're close."

Emily nodded. "Maybe I'll swing by Eldridge Price's office and see if he's around. He must know what's going on. Time to see what he had to say about it."

Paige looked toward the practice ring as Lizzie Barlow prepared to warm up before the next show. "I'm just going to stay-"

"You're going to come with me." Emily said sharply and gripped Paige's arm, dragging her, stumbling, in the direction of Price's train car.

"Emmy, Paige!" Emily's father called as he jogged up to them with a huge grin, a giant roasted chicken leg in one hand, dripping grease down over his fingers.

"Dad?" Emily asked with surprise. She couldn't remember the last time she had seen her father smile like that. Maybe not even since her mother was still alive. Apparently, Paige wasn't the only one taken over by the magic of the circus.

"Isn't this something?" He asked as he took a bite from his chicken, meat dangling from his mouth until he worked it in with teeth. "Did you see the show?" He asked, barely intelligible.

"Um, no, not yet-"

"I did" Paige announced cheerily. "It was wild!. I Mean those stunts they did on the trapeze and the contortionists…."

"I know!" Her father said excitedly. "The lions and tigers were amazing, right? And the elephants!"

"Dad!" Emily barked. "Have you been drinking?" She anticipated needing her father's help as soon as they figured out the culprit and she needed him sharp.

"No." Her father answered. "Have you?"

"I have." Paige piped up.

A crash and shouts erupted from over by the concession booth and they turned to see a pack of young toughs throwing punches throughout the eating area. Marshal Fields sighed and thrust his chicken leg at Paige. "Here." He trotted off, bellowing at the boys.

"Your father seems to be enjoying himself." Paige mused as the took a bite of meat.

Emily grabbed her by the other hand. "Come on." She pulled her toward Eldridge Price's train car.

"Miss Fields?" Eldridge Price rose from behind his desk with surprise as Emily knocked once and entered his private space, Paige following closely behind. "What can I do for you?" He looked at her quizzically.

"I know about the accidents that have been plaguing your show." She began. "I want to know what you're doing about it." She demanded.

Price's face darkened. "I don't know what you're talking about." He answered coolly.

Emily stared him down. "I think you do and if you don't want me to get my father involved I suggest you tell me about it."

He held her gaze for another moment before visibly deflating and dropping back into his chair. He reached for the bottle of whiskey on his desk and poured himself a drink with a shaky hand. He held the bottle up. "Drink?" He asked.

Emily shook her head. "No, thank you."

Paige nodded, vigorously. "Yes, please." She answered and pressed her lips together as Emily glowered at her. "Nevermind."

Price drank down his glass and poured himself another. "I don't know who it is or why." He said. "I can't fire everyone and if I go crawling back to Barnum or this show goes under I'll be ruined. I'll never work again."

Emily frowned. "So, you just hide your head in the sand and pretend like it's not happening?"

He shrugged. "This show is a success!" He motioned out the window to where he could see throngs of people walking back and forth and enjoying the entertainments. "And accidents happen."

"People could get hurt!" Emily argued.

"Yes." Price agreed, sadly. "That would be very unfortunate."

Emily breathed out an exasperated sigh. "We thought maybe Archie Finnegan was behind this. Trying to undermine your show so the one he came from could step in if you went under." Emily said. "Until we found out his production is already out of business."

"Mmmmm." Price mused and sipped his drink. "I thought so, too. Especially, when I made some inquiries and discovered his first employer folded for the same reasons."

Emily stared at him. "What do you mean?"

"Accidents, injuries, illness, thefts and all other manner of unfortunate incidences." He replied. "They could all be explained, of course, but in the end there were just too many losses and they couldn't keep the tent flaps open, so to speak."

"But you don't think Archie had anything to do with it?" Emily asked impatiently.

Price shrugged again. "His whereabouts were always accounted for. I could never catch him in anything."

"Why didn't you just let him go?" Paige asked.

Price's eyes flicked to her. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a decent elephant handler?"

"Um, no." Paige answered the rhetorical question. "How does one even go about finding an elephant handler? Or becoming an elephant handler?" She asked curiously. "Or, for that matter, an elephant? That is, finding an elephant not becoming an elephant." She laughed at her own confusion. "Although, that would be a spectacular show."

Emily chewed her lip. Something wasn't right. It had to be Archie Finnegan or someone close to him. They had to catch up to Billy and warn him. "Let's go, Paige."

They circled around the animal area, keeping a wary eye even though all the big cats were safely locked in their cages. Horses grazed, tethered, nearby and dogs danced around on their hind legs. There was no sign of Billy or Archie or anyone for that matter. Emily was nervous.

The animal area was nearest the tracks and Paige approached a train car, slats across it's long side and a ramp leading to the locked door. She walked up the ramp and could see shadowy movement from the inside as she cupped her hands to peer in through an open space. She heard snuffling and grunting and jumped back as her hat was lifted from her head.

She looked up to see a long gray elephant trunk, snaking out the slats above her, waving her hat in the air. "Hey!" She yelled. She leapt for it but couldn't come close as the trunk held it high out of reach.

"May I help you?" A dark haired wiry man asked as he came out from behind a tent his eyes flicking to Paige, her hat and then Emily.

"You must be Archie Finnegan." Emily said. "We're friends of Billy's and we thought he might be back here." Her eyes darted around. "Have you seen him?"

Finnegan shook his head. "No."

Paige jumped again for her hat as the elephant lowered it just enough to tease her. "Damnit!" She breathed as it lifted again out of her reach.

"Tullah, drop it!" He ordered and Paige's hat fluttered down to land at her feet.

"Thanks." Paige mumbled as she picked it up and jammed it on her head.

"I think you better go." Finnegan said. "It can be dangerous back here."

Emily was unsettled. "Paige, come on." She backed away from Archie Finnegan and walked into a solid, large chest. She whirled to face Phillipe, the big cat trainer.

"Excuse, moi, Mademoiselle." He said. "You are lost?"

"No." Emily answered with a gasp. "We were looking for Billy."

"Billy, yes." Phillipe replied. "I saw him not long ago."

"Where did he go?" Paige asked when she finally joined Emily.

Phillipe eyed her for a moment. "Ahhh." He said with a smile. "It is you again." He clapped Paige hard on the shoulder. "I did not get the time to thank you properly."

Paige raised her hands and eased out from his meaty hand on her shoulder. "No thanks necessary." She said.

Emily took note of Phillipe's obvious gratitude to Paige and wondered if he could provide any useful information. "Phillipe?" She began. "Do you have any idea how Bella may have escaped her cage earlier?"

The big man's smile faltered. "I'm afraid it was my fault." He said. "There was a pin missing from the lock of the door. Without it the door cannot close properly. I did not notice when I put her away the last." He explained regretfully.

"A pin?" Emily asked.

He held up his thumb and first finger about three inches apart. "A metal pin."

"Could it have been removed after you put her away?" Emily asked curiously.

Phillipe's eyes went wide in horror. "Who would do such a thing?"

Emily looked around the yard but saw no sign of Archie Finnegan. He must have scampered when Phillipe showed up. "Do you know where Archie was when Bella escaped?" She asked hopefully.

"Oui. Avec moi." He answered. "I was helping him feed the elephant."

Emily sighed with a nod. "Okay, thank you."

"Je vous en prie." He nodded. "You are welcome."


	8. Chapter 8

"Billy was here." Emily repeated, frustrated, as they walked away from the big man.

"_Was_ being the operative word." Paige said sourly and massaged her temples. She was starting to come down and her head throbbed viciously and her stomach roiled. "We should take this to your father."

Emily laid a hand on her arm. "We're already here. Why don't we just look around?"

"Because, Emily." Paige began and wondered when she started becoming the cautious one. "We have no idea where to look. We don't know these people or what they're capable of except to know that at least one of them is trying to ruin the show, and we don't know our way around."

"All good points." Emily replied, glancing around. "I'm going to circle back around to the animal area." She gave Paige a shove in the opposite direction. "You look along the train cars."

"Emily!" Paige argued and turned her so they were facing. "Did you just hear anything I said?"

"I heard you." She smiled and gave her a quick peck on the lips. "I'll meet you back here in ten minutes. If we don't see him we'll go to my father. Deal?"

"Okay." Paige sighed. "Ten minutes."

Emily moved back they way they had come and Paige turned, making her way over to the train. The sun was high in the afternoon sky and it was getting hotter which didn't serve to help her mood or her hangover. Sweat trickled down the back of her neck and her shirt clung damply to her back as Paige worked her way along the train cars, peering in through the open doors and calling Billy's name.

Emily moved quickly but tried to look relaxed and like she belonged as some of the laborers worked around her. Most of them ignored her and the ones that didn't looked askance but said nothing. Her ten minutes was almost up with no sign of Billy.

She looked around again, running her hands through hair in frustration. "Billy, where are you?" She breathed. She started to head back to meet Paige when a hand clamped down on her arm.

She whirled, fist clenched, to see a startled Archie Finnegan.

"I'm sorry!" He blurted. "I found Billy and he's hurt!" He turned to jog off toward the train to the empty stock cars.

Emily stared after him, uncertain before looking behind her toward where she was going to meet Paige. She didn't see her anywhere.

"Come quick!" Archie shouted at her and waved frantically.

Emily took a breath and hiked up her skirt, running after him. She would see to Billy and then get help.

Archie ran up the ramp to the car next to the one that held the elephants. He waved to her to get her to follow and disappeared inside. Emily crested the ramp and stopped, letting her eyes adjust. It was brutally hot inside and smelled foul, the stink of caged wild animals unable to be scrubbed from the wood walls.

There were empty stalls lining the back wall running from floor to ceiling. They could be for horses or something else. Camels maybe. Not for lions or tigers, surely, as the doors were wood with wide slats with a foot of space between them.

"In here." Archie was crouched down in one of the stalls next to the small motionless body of Billy Williams.

"Oh, my God. Billy!" Emily cried as he knelt next to him. There was blood at his temple surrounding an ugly bruise. He had been struck with something. She felt the pulse at his neck and breathed a sigh of relief at the strong, steady beat. "He's alive."

"Pity." Archie said with a sneer as he rose and moved to the stall door. "I should have hit him harder."

Emily turned, eyes widening. "What?" She breathed and realized her mistake as Archie Finnegan backed out of the stall, slamming the door closed and sliding the lock home. "No!" Emily surged to her feet and banged on the door. "What do you think you're doing! He needs help!" She cried.

Archie looked at her through the slats. "You should be thanking me. You'll be safe in here."

"Safe from what?" Emily asked shakily.

Archie smiled menacingly. "From the grand finale." He flung his arms wide "The carnage will be spectacular!"

"Why are you doing this?" Emily asked.

"Why?" Archie repeated. "Why? Because I have principles and compassion and speak for those who cannot speak for themselves." He declared.

Emily frowned. "Speak for who?"

Archie gave her a look like she was an idiot child. "The animals, of course. All these magnificent creatures pressed into service against their will, stolen from their homeland and kept in chains and cages, brought out only to perform for the entertainment and benefit of people who only want to make money." His face turned savage. "You know what that's called, right?" He waited a beat. "Slavery."

Emily shook her head. He was mad. "You're right Archie, you're right." She soothed. "They should be freed. "But this isn't the way. There are hundreds of innocent people here. Children!"

Archie seemed not to hear her and pulled out a pocket watch. "It's almost time." He said. He looked at her again. "I'm sorry you're going to miss the show."

He ran out of the car and onto the ramp, turning to slide the door closed with a heavy bang.

Emily pulled, frantically, against the slats of the stall to no avail. They were thick and and too well constructed, hammered together solidly. With the door closed there was little air movement and it became difficult to breathe. When the train was in motion there would be enough ventilation but stopped and sitting in the heat of the sun all day the air was thick and heavy.

"No!" Emily yelled and beat against the door. "Is anyone out there?" She called. "Can anyone hear me?" Sweat poured down her face and arms making her hands slick and leaving damp spots on the wood as she pounded on the door.

She bent and reached her arm through the space in the door, straining up and feeling along with outside for the locking mechanism. She could just touch metal with her fingertips but she couldn't get to the lock. "Come on!" She breathed as she jammed her shoulder farther through the space but still couldn't reach the lock.

Emily dragged her arm back in, going to her hands and knees, panting with exertion. "No." She whispered. She had to get out of here and warn them. Clear the tent and tell her father about Archie.

Emily pushed herself to her feet and walked the perimeter of the stall, banging on the wood looking for weakness and calling for help until her throat burned with strain and her mouth was so dry she could only rasp weakly. She dropped down into the filthy hay, her back to the wall. Her head was swimming and she felt like she couldn't get enough air.

* * *

If he was here Paige couldn't find him. She hoped Emily was having better luck. On second thought, she hoped not and they could find her father and be done with this. Paige leaned against a train car and took of her hat to run her hands through her damp hair.

She jerked and spun as something splatted against the back of her neck. She reached to brush it off and her hand came away covered in wet mud. Not mud. She held her fingers to her face. Shit. "Damnit!" She whirled, wiping her hand down her pant leg. "Show yourself you little bastard!" She shouted.

Norman appeared at the top of the train car, screeching and jumping, another fistful of dung aimed at her. He flung it and she dodged just in time. "That's it!" She yelled and moved to the ladder at the side of the train, scrambling up. "Emily's not here to protect you now!" She continued to rant. "You've been nothing but trouble since you got here. Following me around and …" She trailed off remembering what the fortune teller said. _Trouble follows you._

She ran through it all again as she climbed to the top of the train. All the evidence pointed to Archie Finnegan but it couldn't be proved because he could always account for his whereabouts. That's because, while he was behind it, he wasn't the one actually sabotaging the acts. Norman was.

Paige pushed herself up over the top and crouched looking down the length of the train in time to see Norman scampering along the roof of one of be box cars and swinging down through the open door.

She ran after him and couldn't help but recall the last time she ran atop a train she was fighting for her life, seriously injured, in the middle of the night while the train was moving. She was glad no one was around to see her chasing after a monkey on a circus train.

She laid over the edge of the door where Norman had disappeared and could hear him scrabbling around in there. She swung herself down and dropped into the box car, pausing to let her eyes adjust. The movement stopped, too, so she knew he had heard her come in.

She peered around. The car was totally empty and stifling hot despite the open door, with bits of straw and nuggets of dung on the floor. It was obviously used to transport animals. Which ones she had no idea. She knew he was in here and remained still, waiting to for him to give himself away.

She didn't have to wait long. She heard a scrape of tiny nails somewhere above her and looked toward the sound. At the far end of the car was a small ladder leading up to a loft space. She hadn't noticed it before. "Gotcha!" She breathed and moved toward it.

The movement stopped again as Paige climbed the ladder to the loft. She reached her arms up over the top and screamed, in unison with Norman, as a mouthful of sharp little teeth sank into the soft tissue of her left hand between her thumb and first finger.

She shook him off with a cry and a string of profanities so inventive the toughest cowboy would have paled. Paige pushed herself all the way up and clutched her hand. There was a perfect half circle of puncture wounds on both sides that blazed pain up her arm. "Bloody Hell!" She swore and glared at Norman who had retreated to the far corner, eyes glittering, and chattered angrily at her. Paige shook out a bandana from her pocket and wrapped her hand to slow the bleeding.

Paige kept a wary eye on him as she looked around his nest. It was littered with trinkets, stones, money, jewelry, children's toys, greasy food wrappers and any other item the little beast deemed worthy of his collection. "You've been a busy boy." Paige commented to him as she sifted through the piles. She helped herself to a dollar in coins. "This is mine!" She barked at him before jamming the money into her pocket. Near the money she found the metal pin, about three inches long. The missing part from the lock on the tiger's cage. It was all the proof they needed the monkey and Archie Finnegan were behind the attacks and she stuck in her pocket.

She was about to turn and head back down, it was time to collect Emily and tell her father what they knew, when her eyes fell on another object. She picked it up and rolled it in her hand. A metal pin, like the other but three times as long and heavier. "Uh oh." She breathed.

Paige raced back to their agreed upon meeting place far past their ten minute deadline and looked, frantically, for Emily. She wasn't here. How much time had passed? Which one of them was late? Maybe Emily had gone to find her father on her own. Yes, that must be what happened.

Paige ran to the back of the main tent. Performers were milling about stretching and practicing their acts, waiting to go on. They ignored her as she poked her head in through the back entrance. The afternoon show was in full swing. The seats were jammed again with people as the trapeze artists finished up their act before intermission when the clowns and dancing dogs would come out and invite children and their families into the center ring to see the tricks up close and interact with them. Nothing seemed amiss but Paige had a very bad feeling that was about to change very soon.

She backed away from the entrance and circled the area undecided about what to do. She looked down at the long metal pin in her hand. Maybe if she could figure out what lock this pin belonged in she could stop whatever Archie Finnegan was planning before it happened.


	9. Chapter 9

Emily cracked her eyes open as she heard a soft, nasally groan from Billy. She pushed herself to her knees and crawled over to him. "Billy." She croaked and lightly slapped his cheek to get him to come around. "Billy, wake up!"

Billy's eyes clenched and his head furrowed in pain as he brought a hand up to the side of his head. "Emily?" He groaned. "What happened?"

"It's Archie Finnegan." She sighed. "He's behind everything and he hit you and locked us in here." She helped him sit up. "I'm not sure what he's planning but I'm scared. We need to get out of here and find my father and clear the grounds."

Billy squinted and looked around. "Where are we?" He asked.

"The cattle car next to the elephants." Emily rasped.

"What happened to your voice?" He stared at her.

She shook her head. "Nevermind that!" She eyed the space between the slats in the stall door. "Do you think you can fit through there?"

Billy followed her gaze. "I can try."

They moved over to the door and staggered slightly as the car began to lurch and rock unsteadily.

"What the hell is that?" Emily asked as she through her hands out.

Billy frowned. "The elephants." He answered. " When they move around and come down the ramp the whole train rocks." He pulled his watch out from his pocket and checked the time and shook his head with concern.

"What's wrong?" Emily asked mirroring his expression.

"It's not time for them yet." He said. "It's only intermission. They shouldn't go on for another half hour at least."

Emily chewed her lip. Is this what Archie was planning? To unleash two large African Elephants on the spectators. "Are elephants aggressive?"

Billy shrugged. "Sure." He answered. "They can be very aggressive if they're provoked."

"We've got to get out of here!" Emily said desperately.

* * *

Paige retraced her steps back through the animal cages, eyeing each one as she went by to see if any locks were damaged or open. She made it all the way to the end when there was a rumble from the train and one of the elephants trumpeted loudly as it pushed the door open.

"Of Course." She breathed, her eyes going wide, as the elephants walked one at a time down the ramp. She squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath before stepping out in front the lead animal, waving her arms. "Hey Hey Hey!" She called at them. "Back inside!"

The animals, over ten feet tall each and, easily, five or six thousand pounds ignored her and headed on their way. She had succeeded in attracting the attention of Phillipe, the cat trainer who ran over and stood next to her.

"Non!" He barked. "What is this? It is not time!" He looked around. "Where is Archie?"

Paige turned to him. "Can you stop them?" She asked panicked. "Where will they go?"

He shook his head. "Only Archie controls the elephants. They will go to the ring as they are taught."

Paige looked at the meandering backsides of the animals as they made their way to the tent. What would happen when they pushed their way into the ring with a mass of shrieking children, dogs and clowns milling about. Would that set them off? Is that what Archie was hoping for?

"Listen, Phillipe!" Paige turned the big man toward her. "I think something very bad is going to happen. You need to go find Eldridge Price and tell him to clear the ring. Do you understand?"

He looked at her confused and shook his head. "I cannot do that. Mr. Price will be very angry."

"Mr. Price is going to very angry when those elephants stampede in there and trample a bunch of townspeople." Paige said through gritted teeth. "Do it!" She shoved him in the direction of the tent and prayed he would do as she asked as she watched him run toward the tent.

"Paige!" A gravelly voice called from behind her. She turned, squinting into the sun to see Emily and Billy staggering down the ramp of the train car next to her.

"Emily!" Paige yelled and rushed to her, getting her arms around Emily's waist just as her knees buckled. "Christ, what happened? Are you alright?" She asked as she guided her to sit at the bottom of the ramp.

Emily smiled weakly. "It's really hot in there." She gasped. Emily looked at Paige's bandaged hand, the blood soaking through. "What happened to your hand?"

"Don't worry about me." Paige felt her head and along her neck. Her skin was alarmingly hot and dry. She was dangerously dehydrated. "I need to find you some water."

"No." Emily said. "The elephants. You need to warn the people."

"You, first." Paige argued.

"Paige, please." Emily pleaded. "Help them."

"It's okay." Billy offered. "I'll look after her."

Paige frowned with worry for them but knew they were right. She had to get to Archie Finnegan and get him to call off the animals. She brushed her hand down Emily's flushed face. "I love you." She said before racing off after the animals.

She was too late. She heard the shouts and screams of the crowd as the two enormous animals pushed their way past the mass of performers waving their arms and trying to redirect them. It only served to agitate the elephants as they trumpeted loudly, ears flared and moved into the ring as they had been trained.

Paige pushed her way in and gasped at the sight. People in the ring were screaming and clutching their children as the elephants charged around, confused and angry. The main entrance was bottlenecked with people as they all scrambled to get out from under the tent at the same time. People still in the stands were tripping and falling over one another to get down and get out as one of the animals was ripping up benches with its trunk and hurling them around, sending splintering wood spears flying through the air.

The noise was deafening as the spectators and animals screamed their terror. Paige's eyes darted around. She saw Marshal Fields and Phillipe by the entrance, scooping people off the ground and guiding them out to safety. Eldridge Price was bellowing directives from atop a platform, in an effort to restore calm. One of the elephants, the largest, drawn to the sound of Price's familiar voice, charged the platform and crushed it under its massive feet as he dived out of the way, unharmed by mere inches.

Paige caught movement out of the corner of her eye and looked up to see Archie Finnegan perched halfway up the narrow ladder that led to the trapeze platform. From there he could remain safe with a birdseye view of the terror unfolding below him and stared down gleefully.

Paige snarled in rage and and shouldered her way past the people fleeing out the back entrance to the bottom of the ladder. She climbed fast and was only a few rungs below him before he spotted her, his eyes going wide in alarm. He began to move up and shouted something unintelligible.

Paige figured out why he had called out when the monkey, out of nowhere, landed and hung from the ladder rung above her, biting at her hands. She tried to move her hands out of the way but couldn't fully and still stay on the ladder, as the sharp teeth bit into the backs of her hands and wrists.

Blood from the many small punctures was making her hands slick and her grip tenuous. She was also losing ground on Finnegan. The monkey bit down savagely on her right wrist and she cried out her rage, jerking her hand from its mouth and gripping it around the throat and hurling it from the ladder.

She watched as the little creature sailed through the air, with nothing to slow its fall, until it hit the ground. It lay stunned for a moment before staggering to its feet and scampering out of the tent with a screech . Paige resumed her climb ignoring the pain in her hands as she climbed to the top of the ladder and pulled herself up to the platform.

Paige risked a glance below her and and swayed, gripping the thin rail, white knuckled. She wasn't normally uneasy with heights but, here, standing on a platform no bigger than two boards wide thirty feet up she was affected.

She focused on Archie at the end of the platform struggling to untie a line attached to the rail. "There's no where to go, Archie!" She called to him. "Come down and end this before someone gets killed!"

"That's what you think!" He snarled back as he pulled the line free and set the trapeze bars swinging on both sides. Paige's eyes went wide as Archie leapt off the platform and caught the bar easily, kicking his legs to get more height as he swung away from her.

"Oh, for shit's sake!" She growled. She watched him swing back and forth a couple of times as he eyed the bar swinging across from him. He was going to try for it. If he made it to the other side he could cross that platform and down the other side of the ladder. She wondered if she could get back down and over to him before he made his escape. Probably not with her bloody hands. She needed to get him down now.

Paige stepped to the edge of the platform and peered down at the thin black netting strung tightly twenty five feet below. It was now or never. She waited for him to start his swing back toward her and jumped, praying to all that is good and holy that the net was sound.

"Paige!" Emily screamed in horror as she watched Paige jump. She and Billy had made it to water and recovered themselves enough to get to the tent and help those rushing out. Some with injuries and all completely terrified. The spectators had been cleared and only her father, Eldridge Price, laborers and assorted animal handlers worked now to corral the still rampaging elephants as they trampled and stomped the interior of the tent to bits while the deputies worked outside to get the people who needed it medical attention.

Emily's father had tried, desperately, to get Emily outside but, unsurprisingly, she had refused to go as long was Paige was in there. Emily had run to the net as soon as she saw Paige atop the platform, her heart pounding in her chest.

Paige slammed into the back of Archie Finnegan's swinging body hard, wrapping her arms around his waist and dragging him off the bar with her weight. They fell together and Paige barely had time to send up another prayer before they hit the net, sagging it almost to the ground with their combined weight before they sprang back up.

Paige lay, immobile, as she struggled to catch her breath and slow her pounding her heart before it burst from her chest with adrenaline and fear. She tasted blood and felt a stream of warmth trickling from her nose. She felt Archie Finnegan scrambling through the net beside her and rolled to get a hand on him.

It wasn't necessary as Marshal Fields was there to yank him to the ground by his neck and march him off, demanding he settle the animals before he flung him to the ground at their feet and let him get trampled. Archie, apparently, believed him enough to start, shakily, barking commands at the elephants who slowly responded to his voice and began to calm.

Paige panted in relief. It was over. She struggled over to the edge where Emily waited for her, holding the net taught so she could swing herself over the edge and down. "Hey." Paige smiled when her feet were planted firmly on the ground. "Did you catch my act?" She asked breathlessly.

Emily sighed and smiled, shaking her head. "I did." She answered and wiped at the blood on Paige's face before wrapping her arms around her neck. "You were magnificent." Paige had long since lost her hat and Emily had easy access to her mouth. She closed the distance and crushed her lips to her. "I'm not going to lose you to the circus am I?" She asked when she pulled away.

"Not a chance." Paige replied and pulled Emily to her again.

* * *

The big top had quieted as the elephants had been packed away and the clean-up begun. Outside chaos still reigned as family members struggled to reunite with one another and people attended to each other's injuries. Amazingly, the most serious injury was a broken leg and that suffered by one of the circus workers.

The townspeople suffered only sprains, cuts and bruises and all were able to make their way home on their own. When the pandemonium started someone was able to make it back into town and Spencer and Dr. Hastings were hard at work cleaning and bandaging wounds. Spencer looking a little ragged from her earlier afternoon with Paige.

Paige and Emily sat quietly together at one of the benches where they had eaten only a few hours before waiting for Spencer to get around to look at Paige's hands.

"So." Spencer began. "What is it this time?" She asked.

Paige held up her bloody hands. "Would you believe me if I said I was assaulted by monkey?"

Spencer eyed her, her lip twitching in amusement, as she knelt in front of her. "I would, in fact." She winced as she took in the dozens of small puncture wounds, seeping and swollen. "Just one monkey?"

Paige shrugged. "He was persistent."

Spencer studied her hands. "I can't stitch this." She poured alcohol over her hands, slathered antiseptic ointment all over them and wrapped them both in clean bandages from fingertips to just below her elbows. "I'm sorry to say you're going to be out of commission again for a while."

Spencer reached into her kit and pulled out a smaller version of the satchel she always carried. "When I heard there was trouble at the circus and to come because there may be injuries I figured you' be up to your neck in whatever was happening, McCullers, so I packed this for you."

Emily snorted a laugh. Paige was okay and they had been through this so many times before she was beginning to breathe easier about Paige's recklessness. And, if truth be told, much of this was her fault as if they had gone to her father from the beginning maybe none of it would have happened.

Paige scowled at Spencer's smirk. "That's very thoughtful of you, Hastings." She ground out.

"Yup" Spencer smiled. "Everything you'll need to be back to your old impulsive, foolhardy self in no time." She eyed Emily. "Think you can handle it?"

Emily took the bag from Spencer. "I'll manage." She said and smiled with the look of the wise and well experienced.

"I'll come check on you in a few days." She nodded before heading off to tend to other injured.

Billy bounded toward them. "Ladies!" He grinned and bounced up and down on the balls of his feet in anticipation.

Paige stared at him curiously. "Something on your mind, Billy?" She asked.

He looked hard at Emily, his eyes going wide, and jerked his eyes to Paige, nodding excitedly.

Emily frowned at him and shook her head, sharply.

Paige watched the entire silent and none too subtle exchange and frowned. "What's with you two? She asked.

"Emily has something for you." Billy offered.

Emily sighed. "Billy, I don't think now is the best time."

"Now is the perfect time." Billy argued.

"Both of you." Paige interjected. "Time for what?" She looked between them.

Emily licked her lips and cleared her throat, nervous all of the sudden. "Before all this happened, when I was with Hanna, I saw something that made me think of you." She reached into her pocket pulling out the necklace, holding in the palm of her hand for Paige to see.

Paige stared at the small turquoise butterfly pendant. It was beautiful. She raised her hand but realized, with the bandages she couldn't touch it. "Why?" She whispered.

Emily frowned. "I thought you would like it."

Paige shook her head. "Why did you think of me?" She asked softly.

Emily studied her. "I see the butterfly as a symbol of new possibilities and unshakeable faith, strength and courage. The kind you've shown time and time again. From the moment you decided to stay and love me with your whole heart to jumping off the trapeze platform to save the day from rampaging elephants and everything inbetween. You are a marvel and a miracle to me and I wanted you to have this just so you'd always know that."

Paige's throat tightened with emotion. She tried to touch it again without thinking and frowned in frustration. "Put it on me?" She asked and turned away from her.

Emily brushed Paige's hair away from the back of her neck and swung her arms over her head, bringing the leather cord around her neck so the pendant rested high against her throat where Paige liked. Emily knotted the cord carefully and ran her hands along Paige's shoulders, kissing the back of her neck. "How's that." She whispered.

Paige turned back around fast, wrapping her bandaged hands around Emily's neck and kissing her deeply and for a long time.

Billy cleared his throat. "Does that mean you like it?" He asked.


	10. Chapter 10

Epilogue

The circus was long since gone. Not trace of it remained but for a wide swatch of barren and trampled dirt where the grounds had been set up. The fence, privies, hitching posts and all other conveniences set up for the show had been reclaimed and repurposed.

You could still hear the stories, though, whenever two people got together at the saloon, ran into each other at the general store or discovered someone new in town who hadn't yet heard the tale of the day the circus came to town.

Paige hardly thought of it anymore. Just like all the other craziness in her life it was in the past and there was too much to look forward to to spend time looking back. There was also too much work to do and she had just spent half a day in the heat of the July sun wrestling calves out of the mud pit that which turned up after the spring thaw and by August is completely dried up. It's now in the awkward phase of thick, knee deep mud that the smallest of the herd gets trapped in. They really needed to fence it off. Maybe that would be tomorrow's project.

She finished brushing down Hank as the sun set. She was wiped out and couldn't wait to fall into bed. She crossed the yard to the house and stopped as she saw the small table set up next to the well pump. On the table was a towel, a robe, a bar of soap and washcloth. Next to all of that sat a glass of whiskey and glass of water.

Paige eyed the little table and all its contents before flicking to the front porch when she sensed movement. Emily stood there, leaning against the railing with her arms crossed in front of her chest.

Paige looked at Emily, who cocked an eyebrow at her, scanning her from head to toe. Paige followed her gaze. She was caked in mud, coating her boots, drying and flaking from her clothes skin and hair.

Paige nodded tiredly. "You're not going to let me into the house are you?" She called.

Emily smiled. "You know me too well."

Paige's shoulders slumped and she sighed. The well water was so cold. All the time. "Emily…" She whined.

"I'll make it up to you." Emily said before turning and heading back into the house.

Paige perked up at his. The last time Emily cheered her up from the well water bath she ended up a quivering heap on the kitchen floor. Maybe the well water wasn't so cold after all and maybe she wasn't so tired.

By the time Paige made it to the house it was full dark. There was a plate of food on the counter for her but Emily was nowhere to be seen. Paige could hear her moving around upstairs. Paige was hungry but not for food and made her way slowly up the stairs.

The bedroom was lit softly with candles and Emily was sitting in the middle of the bed wearing a matching robe and, Paige hoped, nothing else. Emily held out her hands and motioned for Paige to join her on the bed.

Paige didn't have to be asked twice and crawled up onto the bed to kneel across from her. Emily slipped Paige's robe down and kissed along her shoulders and neck. "How was your day?" Emily asked as she breathed in the scent of Paige's freshly scrubbed skin. She smelled of soap, earth and sunshine.

"Exhausting." Paige sighed, tilting her head to the side to encourage Emily's continued attention and garner maximum sympathy.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Emily replied. "If you just want to go to sleep I under-"

"No." Paige stopped her. "No, this is nice."

"Can I interest you in a massage." Emily whispered as she kissed up her neck and behind Paige's hear.

Paige groaned at the idea of it. "God, that would be fabulous."

Emily pulled the robe from her and guided Paige into the middle of the bed on her stomach, her arms up around her head. Emily leaned to the nightstand for the bottle of lavender scented oil she had been waiting to try and warmed some between her hands.

She smoothed her oiled hands down the long muscles of Paige's back, working her thumbs along her spine. Paige groaned and Emily worked out one knot after another from the base of her skull to to the small of her back. "God, that feels so good….". Paige sighed as she could feel the tension of the say leech from her body.

Emily shifted off Paige's lower back and encouraged her to turn over taking note of her hooded eyes and blissfully relaxed expression. She oiled her hands again and moved to straddle her waist as she worked her hands across her shoulders, breast and belly. "So, I've been thinking a lot about what you said that afternoon down by the creek." She said softly.

"Mmmm?" Paige sighed, her brow furrowing in thought. Her eyes had drifted closed and she floated under the firm strokes of Emily's hands down her sides. "What did I say?" She murmured finally when she was unable to recall anything specific.

"How you'd love to be tied down by me." Emily answered, casually and she began to knead Paige's breasts more earnestly.

Paige gasped and her eyes opened fully. "What?"

Emily continued to caress her body, circling her thumbs around her nipples and watching them harden in response. "Any interest?"

Paige's breath hitched at the sensation and the idea that Emily wanted to tie her up. She could feel the immediate stirring of desire at the thought. "Right now?" She asked.

Emily's eyes flashed. "Is there somewhere else you need to be?"

Paige considered for a moment and heat fluttered her her chest, radiating down to her belly and lower. "No." She breathed.

"Good." Emily answered and moved over Paige. She reached for a thin leather strap, about an inch wide, one end already secured to the corner of the bed frame. She pulled Paige's left arm and wrapped the loose end around her wrist several times before tying it off.

Paige tilted her head to watch, her breath quickening, as Emily secured first one arm and then the other to opposite corners of the bed. The fire of her arousal bloomed between her legs as Emily repeated the motion at both of her ankles until she was tied, quite securely, spread eagle on the bed.

Her heart thudded with nervous excitement and she couldn't help test the bonds. They were tight but not uncomfortable. Emily had effectively immobilized her in very little time.

Paige licked her lips in anticipation, the muscles of her belly clenched and wetness growing between her legs. "You have given this some thought." She breathed.

Emily sat between Paige's legs, trailing her fingernails lightly up and down the inside of her thigh and surveyed her work. "Yes, I have." She agreed. "I believe I owe you some payback." Her eyes flashed wickedly and her own arousal heightened at the sight of Paige naked and bound on the bed.

Paige swallowed hard. "What now?" She asked uncertainly.

Emily smiled and leaned over her, bringing her lips down on her chest, flicking her tongue across her nipples and raking her hands down her sides. "Whatever I want." She breathed between licks and sucks across Paige's skin.

Paige groaned and arched, straining against the leather as Emily tore into her, stroking and teasing her with her hands and her lips. "Oh, hell…" She breathed as Emily teased her center with her fingertips, sliding around her slick, sensitive skin but never entering her. Paige's hips jerked searching for more pressure but her hands always danced away leaving her groaning in frustration.

"You are so beautiful." Emily whispered as she took a break from her torture to lay down next to Paige and run her hands across her neck, brushing over the butterfly pendant at her throat. She turned Paige's head and teased her lips across her mouth, nipping at her lip and pulling away before they connected fully.

"You're killing me, Em." Paige gasped as she pulled away again.

"Hmmm." Emily smiled and moved back to straddle her and begin tormenting her again. "I don't think it will kill you but I bet I can make you suffer for awhile."

Paige's breath hitched as Emily began to dip her fingers in and out of her center, slowly and lightly. Just enough pressure to leave her panting for more with no promise of release. "Em…." Paige choked out as fire swelled in her belly and throbbed in her core. "Please, I need you inside me." She begged.

"Like this?" Emily swirled her fingers around in circles between her legs and could feel the trembling of Paige's desire in her walls.

"Yessss." Paige hissed and gritted her teeth, her arousal building, sending streaks of lightning sensation through her so hot it was almost painful. Paige strained at her bonds and bucked her hips searching for more.

A knock at the front door tore Emily's attention from Paige and she froze, her fingers resting inside her.

"Oh, God, noooo…" Paige groaned.

"Emily?" Holden's voice called up as he pushed open the front door slowly. "I'm really sorry to bother you. I know it's late."

Emily bit down on a laugh at the interruption. "What is it, Holden?" She called down, holding a finger to her lips for Paige to be quiet.

"Maggie's busted her stall door again and we can't get it closed." He explained. "We just need another pair of hands. Is Paige around?"

Emily looked to Paige who squirmed on the bed. "Oh my, God. Don't say it, Em." She laughed.

Emily grinned. "Paige is a little tied up, right now." She replied gleefully and then paused, a look of pure wickedness in her eyes. "Is it something I can help you with?" She asked.

Paige's head jerked up, her eyes going wide. "Dont. You. Dare." She growled.

"Yeah, that would be great." Holden said cheerfully. "See you in the barn." He called before closing the door.

Emily watched Paige struggle, trying desperately to free herself or dampen the fire raging within her. "Do you think you can wait for me?" She taunted as she slid out of her.

"Emily no." Paige said with a hysterical laugh. "Tell me you're not serious." She pleaded.

Emily grinned wickedly. "I think I'll leave you just like this for a little while." She crawled over to her kissed her deeply before pulling away and hopping of the bed. "Think of it as a cure for the mind numbing boredom of being with me."

"No no no no no." Paige's body was aflame with aching, unfulfilled need. "Emily, that was a joke. You know that was a joke. Please…" She begged. "Untie me then and I'll take care of myself." Her eyes brightened at the idea.

"Absolutely not!" Emily chided as she stepped back into her clothes. "I'm sure this won't take long and just think how excited you'll be when I return." She smiled sweetly and gave Paige a wink before bouncing down the stairs with a laugh.

"Emily!" Paige yelled. "Please, don't leave me like this!" She heard the front door slam. "Emily!"

* * *

**Oh, I know, I'm such an a-hole leaving Paige like that.**

**That's it for Wildflowers (for now). I really had a good time and thank you so much to all the readers for your thoughtful reviews and PMs. It was fun.**

**Fear not! I'm working another Paily AU and it's coming together really well. Some of my best work, in fact, if I do say so myself.**

**Here's a hint...Pirates!**


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